Jetson Green

It's a Green Spring...You Choose

I take my oldies to 1/2-Price when I'm done, it's better than trash.  You?

LEED Ordinances: Unlawful or Not? Philosophically Speaking...

Well, it looks like a courageous Palo Alto lawyer has decided to escalate the conversation as to whether LEED ordinances, city ordinances that require developers to build green, are lawful or not.  Here's the background story.  Currently, Palo Alto requires public projects of 10,000+ sf to be certified under the USGBC guidelines, but they're considering a mixture of alternatives that would require private developers to build to USGBC standards.  Generally speaking, there are two ways to get private developers to go green:

1. Carrot Incentives - provide utility rebates, design allowances, floor area ratio increases, density increases, fast-track permits, etc.
2. Stick Regulations - charge a "green fee" for developments that aren't green, deny site plan or building permit approvals, or require LEED for approvals. 

Palo Alto City Attorney Gary Baum warned that green building requirements (i.e., stick regulations) have no legal basis.  Further, it's in the city's best interests to incentivize rather than restrict.  Let's get legal, though.  What differentiates standard building codes with green building codes?  There's a legal basis for adherence to standard building codes, but there's no basis for green building codes?  Is it the police powers?  Where's the argument for "no legal basis?"  I'm not saying I disagree, because personally, I think it's more effective to go with option #1, carrot incentives.  But let's enunciate the argument for there being no legal basis to adopt a LEED ordinance.

There's a philosophical component to the situation and I see three general options:  wait on the free market, incentivize the market, or regulate the market.  The free market would likely be against both the second and the third, because incentives also interfere with market economics.  The incentivizer would say the free market never comes around and the regulator is a pain in the butt.  The regulator would say the free market is weak and slow and the incentivizer trades money for cooperation, the wrong way to make sure something gets done.  What do you think?  Free market? Incentivize?  Regulate? LEED Ordinances are illegal?    

Free iTunes Download: Sundance Channel Green TV Show; Better Hurry!

Quick post here, but I want to let you iTunes users know that there's a free download of the new Sundance Channel TV show called "big ideas for a small planet."  No direct links because you need to have iTunes downloaded to get it, but it's on the front page right now.  The season premiere is called "Fuel," and I just finished watching it.  Download it, come back, and leave a comment on what you thought.

Has Anyone Seen "The Green House" Exhibit at D.C.'s National Building Museum?

When I was in Washington, D.C., a couple weekends back, in addition to participating in GWU's real estate competition and visiting AWEA, I took a tour of the National Building Museum's exhibit called "The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design."  If you've been there, by all means, leave a comment as to what you thought.  I thought it was a great exhibit.  I wanted to take pictures to show everyone, but no cameras were allowed inside.  Regardless, pictures wouldn't do it justice, because the entire exhibit showcases some incredible green concepts and materials. 

Included in the tour is a real-life The Glidehouse, which is a prefab by Michelle Kaufmann.  It's very cool.  Very modern.  The tour also has a Heliodon, or a sun machine, which allows you to see how the sun hits a home (see solar orientation).  The exhibit also explains the 5 Principles of Sustainable Homes:

1. Optimizing Use of Sun
2. Improving Indoor Air Quality
3. Using the Land Responsibly
4. Creating High-Performance and Moisture-Resistant Homes
5. Wisely Using the Earth's Natural Resources

Towards the end, there's a green materials section that lets you see and feel different green floorings, ceilings, countertops, and paints.  I heard people looking at it saying stuff like, "Wow, that's nice...," or "That doesn't look green at all..."  It's true.  The environmental movement of yesterday has an entirely new face for the future.  It looks good and comes at a competitive price.  If you can't go to D.C. or you want some more information, you can buy the exhibit book here or at your local bookstore.  The Green House Exhibit will be on display until June 24, 2007.   

McStain To Build Largest Solar Homes Development in Colorado

Late last week, McStain Neighborhoods announced intentions to build the largest solar neighborhood in Colorado.  The neighborhood development, known as Bradburn Village, will have 42 solar-electric homes available for sale in early Spring 2007.  From what I understand, McStain builds their homes to Energy Star certification, so going with the solar option is a nice added feature.  With prices starting in the upper 400s, these two-story homes will range in size from roughly 2,446 to 2,842 sq.  Bradburn Village is located off 120th Avenue, between Federal and Sheridan boulevards.

McStain isn't like your average builder or developer, either.  For instance, here's their mission:  "To create homes and neighborhoods that stand the test of time, that grow in beauty and value, that help maintain the environment and lifestyle that make Colorado so special."  They test and certify 100% of their homes, and I just get the feeling that a McStain home will be a damn good home. 

Extra Links
+McStain Building Solar Neighborhood [Denver Business Journal]
+McStain Company Website

WIR: $80k to The Nature Conservancy, Light Bulb Exchange Program, + Supreme Court Goes Green

1. Duke Energy Donates $80,000 to The Nature Conservancy for Shareholders Choosing Paperless Delivery of Annual Report
2. S. California "Green Schools" Light Bulb Exchange Program Enables Students to Reduce their Families' Home Energy Bills
3. The U.S. Supreme Court Ruled 5-4 that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act by Declining to Regulate New-Vehicle Emissions Standards to Control the Pollutants that Contribute to Global Warming. 

Flickr Friday: Lazor's FlatPak House

Welcome to Charlie Lazor's FlatPak House.  You may know this company from their workings with Dwell Magazine.  Flickr has some pretty lush photos of this one, which was built in about 2004 or so.  Enjoy the weekend...

Talking Small Wind with AWEA; House + Senate Mull Small-Wind Tax Credit Legislation

I love blogging, I really do.  Blogging enables me to connect with and learn from some really smart people.  For example, last week I posted that I'd be in Washington, D.C., and I received a flood of suggestions and ideas for enjoying the greener side of the city.  My friends at Edelman (Tristan + Kate) lined up a meeting with small-wind expert, Ron Stimmel, at the American Wind Energy Association's Headquarters.  It was awesome.  I was able to sit down with Ron and talk about a pretty big development in the small-wind industry right now. 

Recently, Senators Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) introduced legislation ("Rural Wind Energy Development Act" (S. 673)) that would allow purchasers of a small wind system to receive a credit on their taxes for a portion of the turbine's total cost, or $1,500 per 1/2 kW of capacity.  The five year credit would apply to all wind systems with capacities of under 100 kW used to power homes, farms or small businesses.  The same day I was in town, a similar version of this legislation was also introduced in the House, H.R. 1772, by Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Tom Cole (R-Okla.).  According to current estimates, small wind is suitable for about 15M homes and 1M businesses in America.  If you want to get involved, Stimmel recommends calling your representative and asking them to co-sponsor the legislation.  Get it moving. 

According to Stimmel, "This would be the first federal incentive in 20 years to help individuals – homeowners, farmers, and small business owners - buy a small wind turbine."  I asked him about some of the hurdles the industry is going through and he was positive about the direction small wind is going.  Small wind needs reputable companies manufacturing the turbines and installers need to be well-trained to make sure the turbines get the best wind.  Maybe in the near future, there could be some type of certification system for installing small wind, which could be a significant boost to the technology.  At least for the moment, having these tax credits puts small wind within reach for many homeowners, farmers, and small business owners that could desperately use the technology.

Throwback: Henry David Thoreau on Small Living

Recently, I wrote an article for another website (full disclosure: I decided to stop writing for this website) called, "What's the Deal with Big A** Homes?"  The article lead to some good comments and discussion, but I've been nagged by some thoughts that were in the comments.  Two of the homes that were discussed in the article were very green by almost all green measures except that of size: one was 4,700+ sf and the other 6,000+ sf.  I readily admit the superior green amenities and features of each home, but here's a portion of my argument:

Think about all the materials that went into such a behemoth. In many ways, big a** homes represent the unsustainability of gross commercialization and over-consumption. Good old fashioned American waste. If you're the Cheaper by the Dozen family, a big house might be necessary. Otherwise, big does not equal green.

One of the entrepreneurs of this green website disagreed stating, "if it's Green, go as Big as you can and want."  I don't understand this line of thinking because for this to be logical, a green home would have to have absolutely zero impact.  But there's always an impact, even if it's managed or negligible or offset or balanced.  There's always an impact, even if it's the impact of taking something that could go to someone else. 

WIR: Happy Green Homeowners, LEED Silver CarMax, + Godin on No Impact Man

1. Study Shows Green Homeowners Are Happier With Their Homes and Recommending Them; Cost Savings are a Top Motivating Factor for Buying Green. 
2. CarMax Receives LEED Silver Certification and Becomes First Company in Virginia to Construct a LEED Building for Corporate Headquarters.
3. Seth Godin on the No Impact Man; Zero is the New Black. 

QR5 + 2007 Bottom Line Design Awards

The first time I saw the QR5 was on Inhabitat last year, and ever since then, my thoughts have occasionally wandered back to its simple, elegant design.  Now, in April 2007, this UK-based innovation is one the recipients of the 3rd Annual Bottom Line Design Awards.  Pictured on the cover of Business 2.0, the QR5 is referred to as "The Personal Power Plant."  The QR5 can generate about 800 kilowatt-hours a month in 13-mph winds and costs about $48,000.  Back of the envelope-style, the payback is about 18 years.  According to Quietrevolution's designer, Richard Cochrane, prices will go down with volume sales and about 70-80 wind turbines will be installed in the coming year. 

About the QR5:
Looking at the helix portion alone, the turbine is about 9 feet tall x 15 feet wide (but various different sizes are also in development).  Here's how the parts work:  (1) three 'S' shaped blades are tapered to shed noise, (2) the vertical axis easily integrates into existing buildings and structures, (3) the helical design captures turbulent winds and eliminates vibration, (4) central compression spar, dependent on conditions, (5) the blades, spars, and torque tube are made of strong carbon fiber, and all moving parts are sealed to minimize maintenance, and (6) the direct drive in-line generator has auto-shutdown and peak power tracking, which is incorporated into the mast.  The QR5 is expected to have a life of about 25 years, assuming annual inspections.  Feel free to click on over to get the finer details on noise + vibration, connecting to the grid, and mounting in various applications. 

My Thoughts:
I think it's fantastic, but I do have one concern.  It's UK-based.  Localization is the new globalization because carbon emissions have changed the rules of the game.  If this thing is going to get big, and I believe it can, there must be US-based production.  I understand Quietrevolution is working on their non-UK patents, so establishing an American presence may be the company's next step.  I hope it is, because I can't stop thinking about it.  That's what good design does.  It changes the way we see the game being played. 

Extra Links:
Quiet Revolution Wind Turbine [Evelyn - Inhabitat]
QuietRevolution [Sarah Rich - WorldChanging]

Quotable: RK Stewart, FAIA

"Climate change, carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, green design--call it what you will.  The need to change how we inhabit the planet to avoid catastrophic consequences is now widely accepted...in the year ahead I plan to work with the AIA board's Sustainability Discussion Group to aggressively advance sustainable design and the key role the AIA can and our members must play to engage the great challenge confronting our generation--the future of our planet."  - RK Stewart, FAIA, Principal at Gensler, AIA President

Via Eco-structure

Flickr Friday: World's First Prefab Sold on Ebay

It's the MD 280 by Edgar Blazona of Modular Dwellings.  Way back in 2004, the MD 280 was listed on Ebay for 10 days with a starting bid of $39,000.  I can't find what it ended up selling for, so if you have an idea, drop it in the comments.

::: aside: I'd really like to get the MD 100 (10 x 10) DIY kit and build it for a quiet space/reading area/blogging zone.  Anyone have experience with it? :::

LEED Platinum Sweetwater, A Model of Economics + Design

 

Back in December, the USGBC awarded Sweetwater Creek State Visitors Center the coveted Platinum level LEED-NC, making it just the 20th building in the world to receive the USGBC's highest certification.  Sweetwater was designed by Gerding Collaborative, an Atlanta-based architecture firm, to reduce the building's potable water usage by 77% and energy usage by 51%.  At these numbers, when compared to a similar building, Sweetwater avoids about 27 tons of carbon emissions annually.  Plus, there's the financial case for the building.  Sweetwater was completed at $175 per sf, which I understand is highly competitive for the area. 

In the words of Dan Gerding, AIA, Managing Principal of Gerding Collaborative, "The Sweetwater Project is a great example of how a new way of looking at design is good for the building's owner, good for the people who use the building on a daily basis, and good for the environment."  His firm walks the talk.  About 70% of the firm's technical staff is LEED Accredited (LEED-AP). 

The building has a slew of classic green features such as a 10.5 KW photovoltaic array, vegetated roof, composting toilet system, drip irrigation system, and rainwater collection system.  Also, for the architects out there, Sweetwater is one of the first LEED-Platinum buildings to be designed using 3D "virtual building" technology, Archicad 10.  I understand the technology allowed different members of the team to visualize the project in context to provide design and technology solutions more effectively than if the project were designed with the typical 2D approach. 

Extra Links:
Sweetwater Platinum LEED Design Press Release

Caveat Emptor: The Green Sheen

Sure, the housing market is in a bit of a lull right now, but BusinessWeek's article on page 131, "How to Make a Deal Bloom," was totally irresponsible.  BW presents five tips for residential home sellers: (1) Get on the Net, (2) Dress Up the House, (3) Don't Overprice, (4) Be Green, and (5) Forget About As Is.  Here's what they say under Be Green: "Environmentally friendly features are in, especially if buyers don't have to pay for them.  You can give your home a green sheen inexpensively by replacing incandescent bulbs in light fixtures with energy-saving compact florescent ones.  Put filters on the faucets and a compost bin in the backyard."  You might as well call it a veil or mask, because this isn't green, it's green-washing.  With a few add-ons, the seller is putting out the vibe that the house is green and the buyer unwittingly infers that it has more beneficial green features.  That's quite deceptive. 

Buyers Tip:
Don't buy into this hype, you'll be disappointed by the results.  Don't think you're getting something special if you have CFLs, water filters, and a compost bin.  Sure these green add-ons are helpful, but don't be swayed.  If someone shows you these things and says their home is green, here's a model reply:  "Cool.  Can you show me the results of the energy audit?  I'm interested in knowing about the AC SEER rating, the windows, and all the Energy Star appliances.  How much energy does that refrigerator use?  Did you landscape green, too?"  Let's try to be discerning.

WIR: Philips Wants More Efficiency, DOE Selects 13, + Lennar Gets Crazy Solar

1. Homebuilder Lennar to Build Largest Solar Homes Development in U.S. - According to a deal with Sacramento Municipality Utility District (SMUD), Lennar will build 1,254 energy-efficient homes with solar power systems as a standard feature in 11 communities in the Sacramento area.  SMUD will provide a maximum of $10.9 million in incentives and Lennar will receive the rebates after homes are constructed.  That's about $8,700 per home for solar.
2. Philips Supports a New Call-to-Action to Adopt More Energy-Efficient Lighting in North America - A congressional coalition of energy efficiency advocates announced plans for proposed legislative action for a major shift toward incorporating high-efficiency lighting technologies in home and office settings. The call-to-action was introduced by Philips Lighting North America, the Lighting Efficiency Coalition, Congressman Don Manzullo (R- Ill.) and Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) to support the adoption of more energy- efficient lighting in North America.
3. DOE Selects 13 Solar Energy Projects for up to $168 Million in Funding - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced the selection of 13 industry-led solar technology development projects for negotiation for up to $168 million (FY’07-’09) in funding, subject to appropriation from Congress under President Bush's Solar America Initiative.  These projects will help significantly reduce the cost of producing and distributing solar energy.

The Innovative, Economic WindCube + WindMAX by Green Energy Technologies

[Email/RSS Readers - Click for Power Point] I read an article about a new type of urban wind technology being developed for a commercial office building in Ohio and wanted to find out more.  The urban wind turbine, referred to in the article as the WindCube, is manufactured by Green Energy Technologies, Inc. (GET).  I called GET to inquire about the technology, left a message, and within about 10 minutes, I had the CEO, Mark Cironi, on the line.  This is going to be huge. 

What is the WindCube or WindMAX? 
It's basically a wind tunnel.  The WindCube is the urban-friendly rooftop application and the WindMAX is the tower application for high power users.  The turbine is designed on Bernoulli's Principle.  The cube captures wind and pulls it into the center of the cube where the turbine is, and in the process, the velocity of the wind increases and propels the blades to generate electricity.  The increase in velocity is helpful because it allows building owners to generate wind power where wind may not be as powerful.  The technology is ideal for urban buildings, big-box retailers, malls, etc., because it powers the building and allows you to net meter.  Which means, regular businesses can use it to generate electricity on site, as opposed to purchasing power from the grid. 

Interview: Steve Glenn - CEO of LivingHomes, by Core77

[Run time = 26 min.]  I've posted about LivingHomes here, here, and here.  Well, Steve Glenn is the company's CEO and Founder and he has some interesting things to say.  If you're still unsure about his green cred, he built the first LEED Platinum home in the United States (with the design help of Ray Kappe).  Enjoy...

WIR: Bank of America's $20B, Green Residential Traction, + Daylight-Savings Tips

1. Bank of America Announces $20 Billion Environmental Initiative - BofA announced a $20 billion initiative to support the growth of environmentally sustainable business activity to address global climate change. Bank of America's ten-year initiative encourages development of environmentally sustainable business practices through lending, investing, philanthropy and the creation of new products and services.
2. Residential Green Building Slow to Gain Momentum - The major homebuilders, who account for 80 percent of all homebuilding activity in the nation, face a unique challenge in implementing green building on a widespread scale. Many have added energy-saving features and experimented with environmentally friendly materials but have not yet been able to sign on a critical mass of buyers willing to pay more for them.
3. Easy, Eco-friendly Ways to Put Those 21 Extra Hours of Evening Daylight to Good Use This Spring - Tomorrow, the entire nation will spring forward three weeks early, gaining an extra 21 hours of evening daylight. Since energy conservation is the driving force for the early time change, Lowe's is encouraging homeowners to utilize these hours wisely with some simple, green projects that would make Mother Nature smile.

Don't forget to spring forward tonight. 

Flickr Friday: The Small, Modern kitHAUS

 

This is the K1 from kitHAUS, which is a prefab company based in Van Nuys, California.  The K1 is 289 sf and costs around $59,000.  kitHAUS has a series of modules that can be paired (or not) to create a small weekend retreat, backyard office or study, or gigantic residence.  Plus, it can be off-grid or grid-tied with the optional solar setup, depending on your tastes.  Tag your photos with "jetsongreen," if you'd like to submit it for Flickr Friday.

American Dream 2.0: Ed Begley Jr. + The Phoenix SUT

You won't believe it, but tonight, I had the great opportunity to talk with Ed Begley Jr. at the unveiling of the Phoenix Sport Utility Truck in Dallas, Texas.  Ed is a really nice guy + he's smart, too.  He knows his stuff.  The Phoenix SUT is a five-passenger, all-electric, freeway-speed sport utility truck.  I test drove it and let me say this: it's nice.  I see the future with this thing.  I really do.  I punched it, coming off the line, and it had some get up and go.  Wish I could get one...

I don't normally talk about cars here on Jetson Green, but that's because we're not quite there yet.  Let me explain.  Ed said something to the effect that, "You can't grow oil on your roof, but you can grow electricity."  Think about it.  It's true.  No matter how hard your try or how much money you have, the chances are, you're not going to be able to tap oil from your backyard.  But you can purchase solar panels, a residential wind turbine, or both.  You can conserve energy, too.  You can install thermal energy storage to substitute day consumption for night consumption.  And according to the Department of Energy, "off-peak" electricity production and transmission capacity could fuel 84% of the country's 220 million vehicles if they were plug-in hybrid vehicles.  There are solutions for energy issues that we face, but they require contemplation, investment, and coordinated action. 

American Dream:
So I envision a time when my house has solar, my truck is the Phoenix SUT (black rims, midnight blue, tinted windows, snug top, and black grill), and I'm not filling up at the gas station anymore.  My electricity meter is spinning backwards most the time, because I have a small, efficient residential wind turbine, too.  That's my American dream.

See the rest of my shots at Flickr.

Green Building: A Landscaper's Perspective

Guest post contributed by Kent Swanson, a freelance writer specializing in environmental issues.  Kent's writing is also featured on Practical Environmentalist, Clean Air Gardening: Organic Gardening Advice, and Ecobackyard. 

When we think of green architecture, sometimes we forget that our landscaping can have a big impact on how efficient and sustainable a building is in the long run.  For example, a few strategically planted trees can help to cool off a building and reduce the amount of energy allocated to air conditioning. The following is a list of 11 suggestions to create an eco-friendly landscape that will complement a holistic approach to green building design.  Incorporating a few of these ideas will help you save energy and water, and also reduce environmental contamination.  If you’d like to make a suggestion on how to use landscaping to reduce your environmental footprint, please leave a comment!

(1) Incorporate Native Plants in Your Landscaping
When planning your landscape, consider using a collection of native plants. Native plants are adapted to your area, which means they naturally require less maintenance and water than exotic plants. They are also more resistant to pests and diseases than many exotics, reducing the need for pesticides.  Additionally, native plants attract native wildlife and beneficial insects. You don’t need to exclude exotic plants from your yard and garden, but incorporating natives in your design can make a big difference.  The U.S. EPA's Greenacres Program is a great place to look for information on using native plants for home landscaping.

Park City's 38-Acre Newpark Receives LEED-ND Pre-Certification

Hot on the heels of news that Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) is going to develop a $1B green resort named "Ever Vail," comes news that Park City's Newpark Community has pre-qualified for LEED-ND (Neighborhood Development) certification.  These ski towns are really laying it on thick--and they're doing more than flaunting offsets.  When it comes down to it, they bank on the livelihood of snow, so it's logical to consider the business implication of climate change.  Having green neighborhoods and buildings is a smart way to lighten that environmental footprint.   

Newpark is a 38 acre, mixed-use development with resort town homes, a commercial and retail walkable community, and a condominium hotel (opening January 2008).  With respect to its green features, LEED-ND certification requires the incorporation of smart growth, urbanism, and green building principles on a neighborhood planning and design level. Projects are evaluated based on the following three categories (1) smart location + community linkage, (2) neighborhood pattern + design, and (3) actual use of green technology in construction.  A notable accomplishment at Newpark is the site development to open space ratio of 1-4.5.  That's 9 times the LEED requirement for allocation to open space.  I've seen it and it looks to be quite the lively, little community.  Via. 

AIA's New Website "How Design Works" + A Modern, Sustainable House

 

I'm happy to report to you that I have the insider tip on a new website that the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is launching: How Design Works (http://howdesignworks.aia.org/).  The website includes information and a series of videos on the entire process of selecting an architect and going from consultation to design to build to occupation.  What I really enjoyed was the case study on Medora Woods' sustainable home (pictured above) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Woods retained architect Sarah Nettleton to design a home to suit a difficult piece of land with a 28 foot falling slope from road to creek.  What Nettleton did, using the words of Frank Lloyd Wright, was build "of the hill, not on it," and designed the house to the environmental standard of the Kyoto Protocol.  Here are a few quotes of interest from the videos. 

• There is no wasted space. 
• Simple is sustainable. 
• Small spaces can lead to ample lives. 
• The house encourages me to keep simplifying my life. 

In the last video, "occupy," Woods takes you through the house and really shows off some of the sustainable features.  This new website provided by the AIA is nice tool for finding an architect, discerning the process of working with an architect, and discovering ways to incorporate sustainable building practices and energy-efficient design strategies into a plan.  Go take it for a spin. 

Photos via Sarah Nettleton Architects.

Skyscraper Sunday: LEED Silver Brickell Financial Centre (Miami)

This is probably the quote of the year for a real estate developer: "I didn't want a building that in 10 years would have to compete with all the new buildings that are LEED certified."  That's what Loretta Cockrum, chairman and CEO of Foram Group, said in regards to her new LEED-CS Silver pre-certified project.  The $245 million, 1.5 million sf green project known as Brickell Financial Centre breaks ground in April and is set for completion in fall 2009. The first phase will consist of 600,000 square feet in a 40-story tower, the first floor for lobby and retail space and the second 11 for parking, topped by 28 floors of class-A office space. The second tower, rising 68 stories, will include retail and office space, and a 300-room hotel.  Lead architect RTKL will also have the help of Sasaki for the 30,000 square foot public plaza space, which is supposed to rival New York's Rockefeller Plaza in scale. 

Green Features:
Like most LEED projects, there's a slew of green features, so I'm just going to lay some of them out:  low-emissivity window glass covering to allow natural light and block solar heat; chilled water cooling system; low-flow and dual-flush toilets to cut down on potable-water use; storm water cisterns for irrigation; extensive use of low- or no-VOC paints, sealants, and adhesives throughout the building; and special storage facilities for people that bike to work.  As for construction materials, Foram Group will use materials that have a high percentage of recycled content and are sourced within a 500 mile radius. 

Extra Sources:
$245M Two-Tower Office, Hotel "Green" Project Planned in Miami [CPN]
A Fine Business Environment: Money Isn't All that Will Be Green at Miami's New Financial Center [Newsweek]

WIR: PVC Debacle, Green Affordable Housing, Home Depot + Green Roofs, + Corporate Environmentalists

1. Hugging the Tree-huggers: Environmentalists at the Corporate Table - BusinessWeek article on why so many companies are suddenly linking up with eco-groups.  Hint: Smart business. 
2. Enterprise Encourages Legislation to 'Green' Affordable Housing - Enterprise joins Congressmen Adam Smith (D-WA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), John Lewis (D-GA) and Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) in support of legislation to "green" affordable housing by promoting energy efficiency, resource conservation and sustainable development in low-income communities across the country.
3. The Home Depot Foundation Awards $300,000 Grant to Further Support Green Roof Development - Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) and Earth Pledge (EP) are pleased to announce the receipt of a $300,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation to support their combined efforts to advance the green roof industry in three key cities: Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
4. USGBC's Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee Issues Final Report on PVC - The Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee (TSAC) of the USGBC issued its final report to USGBC's LEED Steering Committee (LSC) on the technical and scientific basis for a PVC-related credit within the LEED® Green Building Rating System™.  The report raises broader questions; LEED Steering Committee to decide next steps, policy agenda, and potential actions.

ON PVC:
The existence of this struggle between PVC supporters and the USGBC suggests that PVC is not so green.  If you lobby hard enough, throw enough money at the cause, and wear enough people down, you can win in our day and age.  Generally speaking, people don't stand up for what is right because doing so would require taking a visible position.  Taking a position requires persistence, diligence, ethics, and uncompromising, unwaivering fortitude.  So I ask, Mr. USGBC... do you have what it takes?  I hope you can swim upstream on this one or your existence will be completely and utterly futile.  If you can't decide what's green and what's not, there is no need to certify buildings according to your 'green' standards.  imho.

Flickr Friday: Hive Modular B-Line

 

A few months ago, I posted a video on Hive Modular.  Pictured above is the popular, modern B-Line.  Hive Modular is making it happen in a good way.  Tag your photos with "jetsongreen," if you'd like to submit it for Flickr Friday. 

Platinum BASF Near-Zero Energy Home - Paterson, NJ

That's right, Platinum.  LEED-H Platinum, that is.  The Near-Zero Energy Home in Paterson, NJ, is quite the achievement.  I first saw a picture of it in BusinessWeek, if I recall correctly.  The home's website at www.betterhomebetterplanet.com has a pretty good bank of construction and finished photos, as well as general info relating to the construction of a high-performance home.  An interesting note about the Near-Zero Energy Home is that it will serve as a template for a project to build over 3,000 affordable housing units in Paterson. 

Green Features:
Green building requires a holistic approach, where the aggregation of several energy efficient, environmentally conscious, and resource efficient pieces come together to create a home of high-performance.  Here, there are three main systems (building envelope, solar power, and mechanical HVAC) that interact to create a home that's 80% more efficient than your typical abode.  Click here for a visualization of how each system works.  The Near-Zero Energy Home has solar panels, solar water heating systems, cool metal roofing, Energy Star windows, insulated concrete forms (ICFs), structural insulated panels (SIPs), an Amana air conditioning system, and more...

BASF + China + McDonough?
Another interesting note relates to the future cooperation of Eco-tect William McDonough and BASF.  Over the next 12 years, McDonough is charged with building seven cradle-to-cradle cities in China, housing +400 million people.  Many of the technologies used in this Near-Zero Energy Home will also be used to help China achieve 65% reductions of energy use by 2020.  Must be good. 

Video: Patagonia's LEED Gold Distribution Center

[Run time: 5:43 min.]  This is a pretty good video.  If you're in business and in a position to make decisions about facilities, etc., this is a good idea generator.  In fact, that's what Jetson Green is all about: generating ideas for application in a new setting.  Here's Patagonia's Mission Statement: "Build the best product, do no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis."  This is a good company, working to make a difference in business.  The video covers the following: (1) managing storm-water runoff, (2) landscape and exterior design, (3) water and energy efficiency, (4) construction materials, and (5) green housekeeping, alternative transportation, and recycling.  Note also that Patagonia supports 1% for the Planet. Via.

3/5/2007 - Update: Just noticed a new press release today stating that Patagonia received the LEED Gold level certification, an even more prestigious accomplishment than the Silver.

TXU: Golden Parachutes, Largest Private Buyout Ever, Green Leadership

This is the craziest story of 2007.  It has to be.  A consortium of private investors, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), Texas Pacific Group, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley, agreed to pay $69.25 per share to take TXU private.  The deal is valued at over $45 billion including debt.  As part of the deal, the new owners agreed to drop plans for 8 of 11 proposed coal plants in Texas, and everyone is talking about it:  Fortune's Marc Gunther, Dallas Business Journal, Treehugger, Dallas Morning News, Eco-Advantage, Associated Press, and MarketWatch.  Well, the Wall Street Journal did too, but you have to pay to read their stuff, so I'm not going to bother linking. 

WIR: Utah Edging Green, Energy Star Buildings, + Green Materials in Demand

1. Green is Right for Utah's Future, Sustainable Building Proponents Say - Peter McMahon joined Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, Rep. Ralph Becker and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon on the panel. Their topic was ‘Build Green. Can you Afford Not To?’  “Not many people in certain parts of the U.S. get it yet,” McMahon said. “I think we’re going to see a really huge shift in the next five years. It’s happening in a lot of countries.”
2. EPA Awards Energy Star Awards to 53 Buildings in Midwest - Last year, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Energy Star status to 53 office buildings, schools, hospitals, public buildings and college dormitories in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.  "These buildings are among the nation's top energy savers, they use about one-third less energy than average buildings which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves money."
3. Green Building Materials Gain Ground in a Soft Housing Market - Environmentally friendly options like upgraded insulation and more efficient air conditioners and furnaces are doing well in an otherwise soft housing market.

My Green Options: Toilets, Zero Energy Homes, Financially Smart Green Building + More

I've been writing an article a week for Green Options and wanted to pass on the links to some of my articles.  I think the toilets article is the most light-hearted...go give them a look if you're interested in the content. 

• Flush It All Away - the Green Way [02/22/2007]
• USGBC's New D.C. Headquarters Go Platinum [02/16/2007]
• Collective Power Program + Solar Power to Mountain View [02/09/2007]
• Technology Adoption Goal: Zero Energy Homes [02/01/2007]
• Education is Fastest Growing Green Building Sector [01/28/2007]
• Top 20 Financially Smart Green Building Strategies [01/26/2007]

1926 Hyde Park Home's Green Renovation Televised in This Old House

Sometimes, I'm amazed at what technology can do.  Recently, I read an article about Michael Klug + Michele Grieshaber's 1926 bungalow in Austin's historic Hyde Park, which was renovated in accordance with the Austin Green Building Program.  The original home was about 1,500 sf, but after renovations and adding some space, the 2,300 sf home uses half the energy of the original.  The house is part of an 8-show feature on This Old House, and you'll be impressed to find a time-lapse video of the renovation project.  The DMN article suggests that the eco-friendly additions to the renovation added a price premium of about 10%, but let's not forget that this home is outfitted with some pretty good stuff, including photovoltaics. 

Here are some of the green features:  rainwater reclamation for irrigation and landscaping; spray-foam insulation for added energy efficiency; recycled glass tile and countertops by IceStone; formaldehyde-free wood composites; milled wood from deconstruction used throughout the home in various places; James Hardie fiber cement siding, which can be a good substitute for wood siding; low-flow bathroom plumbing and high-efficiency kitchen appliances; a heat-reflecting standing-seam metal roof; and an array of photovoltaic panels on the south-facing roof.  Below, you'll see pictures of the water reclamation tank and the cabinets that were made with Lyptus, a eucalyptus hybrid plant that grows fast.  DMN Article + Pictures. 

United Technologies Ad: First Zero Net Energy Building is Coming

I just thought I would blog about this real quick because it caught my attention in the latest edition of BusinessWeek.  There was a full page ad saying, "Imagine that.  You can do well in the world without hurting it."  Pictured in the ad is a pretty neat looking building (above), which is interactive at www.utc.com/curious.  Go give it a look...United Technologies' (NYSE: UTX) green building page has information on electrochromic glazing, 100% recycled structural steel, vertical axis wind power turbines, photovoltaic solar power arrays, zero VOC paints, green roofs with an integrated reclamation systems, conserving energy, fuel cell power plants, and combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) systems.  Maybe someone should actually build the structure that's in this rendering. 

$1.3B Carbon Neutral Chinese Eco-City in Dongtan

In 2009, China is expected to surpass the U.S. as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world.  Over 26% of the population (roughly 340 million people) lack access to clean drinking water and over 40% of Chinese cities lack sewage treatment facilities.  But the country is trying to innovate solutions for the future.  Recently, USA Today had an interesting article called "China Envisions Environmentally Friendly 'Eco-City.'"  According to the article, state-run developers are building an eco-city in Dongtan, which is 3/4 the size of Manhattan.  Dongtan is located on Chongming Island about an hour from Shanghai.  The $1.3 billion project may be a model for eco-cities all over the world. 

The eco-city will be carbon neutral with the main grid of the city designed for walking and cycling, not for cars.  The city will be powered by solar and wind power, biofuels, and recycled organic material.  There will be green roofs for energy efficiency and insulation benefits and rainwater capture to maintain the landscaping.  All vehicles will operate on clean fuels and about a fourth of the city will be open green space.  Without all the gas and diesel vehicles clogging the streets, residents should be able to open up a window and enjoy the air.  About 20% of the city is held out for affordable housing, but some of the farmers still say it's out of their price range.  See also SIIC. 

Skyscraper Sunday: Las Vegas' $7B LEED CityCenter Project

MGM Mirage is developing a 76 acre site between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo called CityCenter.  With about 18 million square feet of new construction (residential, hotel, resort, casino, etc.), CityCenter is being dubbed a "city-within-a-city."  If the project is completed according to LEED standards as planned, City Center will be the largest LEED project in the world.  MGM has lined up some of the world's best architects for the project, including Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects (61-story resort-casino), Studio Daniel Libeskind (retail + entertainment district), Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects (The Residences at Mandarin Oriental), RV Architecture LLC (Vdara Condo Hotel), Foster and Partners (The Harmon), and Helmut Jahn (The Veers).  Generally speaking, some of the sustainable design benefits include eliminating 48,000 tons of GHG per year, diverting over 80% of construction waste through re-use and recycling, and having improved indoor air quality by using low-VOC and non-toxic materials.   

In 2005, the Nevada Legislature created a statewide tax abatement program that allows LEED building owners to cut property taxes 35-50%.  But that's not the only reason MGM's going green on this project.  For most companies, their most expensive asset is people.  Green buildings boost productivity among occupants and providing healthy, well-designed buildings is one way to create value for employees.  CityCenter is slated for completion in November 2009.  Via SunHerald. 

WIR: Platinum USGBC, Steelcase's IAQ, Energy Star Hits NM + CoStar Group

1. USGBC's New D.C. Headquarters Go Platinum - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) can now hold itself out as an example of what green building is all about. The USGBC has a 22,000 square-foot office suite in the Gold Certified Service Employees International Union Building (LEED-NC). What's incredible is that the USGBC's office suite just obtained LEED Platinum for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI). So the building is gold on the outside and platinum on the inside.
2. Steelcase Products Awarded Indoor Advantage Certifications for Low Emissions - Steelcase Inc. (NYSE: SCS), a global office environments manufacturer, today announced that over 20 of its product lines have received Indoor Advantage(TM) certifications from Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), an independent third-party certifier.
3. EPA Gives Six NM Buildings Energy Star Ratings - Six buildings in New Mexico have earned an Energy Star rating from the EPA for cutting their energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions.  The buildings encompass more than 1.9 million square feet and saved an estimated $350,000 annually in lower energy bills. They also prevented more than 5 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equal to the emissions of more than 400 vehicles.
4. CoStar Group Promotes Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Green Buildings by Adding Energy Star Rating to Commercial Properties in its Database - CoStar Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSGP) announced that it will begin adding the ENERGY STAR rating--the most recognized national metric for evaluating building energy efficiency--to properties in its massive online database, which currently contains more than 2 million researched and verified commercial properties of all classes and types.

Video: Construction 2.0 + CleverHomes

[Run time: 54:30 min.]  I was reading the Scobleizer and found a fairly substantial video interview with Toby Long, founder of the San Francisco-based, design-build firm CleverHomes.  Cleverhomes is one of those companies swimming upstream in a construction river of anti-progress, anti-innovation, and staunch traditionalism.  I love the Scoble laugh, seriously, it makes the interview pretty good.  Long talks about the interface of technology + construction, or what I'm calling Construction 2.0, with an added dimension of sustainability.  Going forward, the environmental consequences associated with construction need to be figured into a given project's analysis.  He also mentions structural insulated panels (SIPs), building information modeling (BIM), sustainability, and modern vernacular.  Get past the beginning and give it go...

Intangible Drivers of the Green Building Movement

Some cities require LEED or green buildings.  Some cities fast track the permitting process for green buildings.  Some cities provide tax incentives or some sort of creative financing for green buildings.  Nevertheless, developers say the economics of green buildings don't work--they say the government needs to do more to support green buildings.  On the other hand, the EPA says the government provides enough support via federal tax breaks up to $1.80 per square foot and other miscellaneous energy conservation programs.  What do you say? 

The fact is, the boom in green buildings is being driven by (1) tenant demand and (2) federal, state, and local incentives.  But are there any other drivers pushing the green movement? 

1. Social Pressure - depending on your business model, green buildings may be required to keep the sustainable message consistent corporate wide. 
2. Lower Operating Costs - even if green buildings are more expensive to build, they are cheaper to operate, in terms of maintenance, water consumption, and energy consumption. 
3. Marketing Advantage - this is related to #1, but a little different.  Caution on the green washing, but a green strategy can be good for (re) positioning according to the competition or targeting specific consumers. 
4. Recruiting Magnet - instead of developing a corporate presence on Myspace or Second Life, why not do something substantial by making a difference?  Some of the best talent is going to companies that have a presence in savvy, green buildings. 
5. Impairment - I've read from both Harvard Business Review and Ernst & Young that non-green buildings are going to be obsolete and could face big-time impairment charges. 

Green buildings are leasing up and other buildings tend towards higher vacancies (lower rents).  The best talent is going to the greenest companies.  Oil and coal companies are irritating customers and worrying shareholders because they won't change their ways.  People are choosing companies with their wallets--they stop frequenting environmentally insensitive companies.  Water and energy is becoming a constrained resource and businesses that lower their costs by using less resources have a competitive advantage over competition.  These intangibles need to be considered when thinking about green buildings, because after all, it's about value not cost. 

The LEED-H Silver Kelly Woodford Retreat Near Mt. Hood, Oregon

As one of the first residential LEED homes on the west coast, the Kelly Woodford home is blazing a trail for the future of residential construction.  In addition to its USGBC certification, the home is "net zero energy use" and Energy Star certified.  The 2,000 square-foot, three-bedroom/two-bath retreat has a great view of Mt. Hood and some pretty impressive green features.  Tom Kelly and Barbara Woodford built the home as a family getaway (with the Neil Kelly Company as general contractor), but they've also made the home available half the year to Neil Kelly employees to enjoy. 

It's important to note that some green features work better in one location than another.  Localization is key, not only for the carbon impact, but for what works due to the local weather and climate (i.e., Californians may build sans AC, but that won't fly in Texas).  This home has an amazing slew of green features, so I'm just going to throw them out:  net-metering photovoltaic panels; south-facing windows + passive solar design to reduce heating/cooling requirements; natural ventilation and proper solar orientation; solar-powered hydronic radiant floor; foot thick SIPs (structural insulated panels) for the roof to insulate against the winter chill; Energy Star-rated appliances; 16 SEER heat pump; CFL lighting throughout the house; two Sterling energy recovery ventilators to keep the air fresh; clean air filtration system; internal finishes from American Clay Plaster, Rhodda Paint's Green Seal Horizontal line, and Yolo Colorhouse paints; FSC-certified lumber products; concrete with a high percentage of fly ash; 20-30% recycled steel roof with a shingle appearance; wheatboard and reclaimed lumber bath + kitchen cabinets; and recycled counter tops.  That's just a few green features.  From beginning to end, it's clear the entire process elevated sustainability to #1.   

Kelly remarked about the home, "When our family, friends and employees enjoy their time here, we want them to know they are living with nature, not in competition with it."  Kelly's serious, too.  He drives a bio-diesel fueled car and thinks residential building is going the direction of green.  Don't you agree?!

Corgan Christens New LEED Silver Headquarters

Today, Corgan Associates Inc. opened the doors to its brand new LEED Silver headquarters.  Corgan is a Dallas-based architectural + design firm and designed the three-story, 60,000 square-foot looker.  Being a tenant in the West End area of downtown since 1986, Corgan is a long-time downtown stalwart--it's great to keep them there with a brand new building.  I drive by it on the way home from work, so I've been watching construction for the past year or so.  It looks great.  I really dig the copper facade on the north + west walls.

From what I understand, Corgan's HQ was built by Turner Construction, well-known for pretty much every green building in the area, including Pat Lobb Toyota, SMU's Embrey Engineering Building, and the energy-efficient Wal-Mart.  According to Corgan, "The architectural style and features of the West End will be reflected in the new building.  In a contemporary way, Corgan’s heavily rusticated masonry building will draw from area warehouse vocabulary.  The interior will feature a heavy timber structural frame, typical of historic structures in the West End.  The three floors of interior design studio spaces will also feature large expanses of glass."  Looks amazing.  Corgan's HQ: 401 N. Houston Street.  Via DBJ. 

Skyscraper Sunday: Chicago's 340 on the Park Pursuing LEED

Calm, clear, and cool, very cool, 340 on the Park is the logical choice for city living.  It's rather timely that I picked a Chicago building for today's Skyscraper Sunday column, because it just so happens that the USGBC is switching locations for Greenbuild 2007 from LA to Chicago.  Chicago is making big-time strides in all things green--they're vying for the position as the greenest city in America.  With that in mind, 340 on the Park is going to be the first residential high-rise in Chicago designed to meet LEED standards.  It's huge, too.  Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, 340 is a 64 story tower with a 2+ floor winter garden starting on floor 25.  It will have all the amenities a luxury resident could ask for, including sauna, steam rooms, hot tub, wi-fi, yoga + aerobics room, fitness center, 25-yard lap pool, and men's + women's locker rooms. 

As far as its green features, I haven't found many specifics, but 340 will use high-tech, energy efficient heating and cooling; fully-insulated windows; an advanced, air-quality management system; rainwater collection system for landscaping; and environmentally friendly construction materials.  Pretty general, I know.  With a two-bedroom (roughly 1,650 square feet) residence starting at nearly $681,000, you're certain to get a nice view to go along with that green home.  Construction is set for completion in 2007. 

WIR: Climate Change Legal Practice, Green Building Lending, Texas Geothermal, + Green Sans LEED

1. The Law Firm of Holland & Hart Announces New Global Climate Change Practice - The firm is the first and only law firm based in the Rocky Mountains to organize a practice group concentrating on this rapidly emerging area of law and policy.  Holland & Hart’s Global Climate Change Practice Group consists of attorneys who counsel clients on the climate change aspects of energy and natural resources development, industrial energy use, regulatory compliance, renewable energy and energy infrastructure projects, corporate disclosure and governance, carbon markets, litigation, and government relations.
2. New Resource Bank Aims to Make it Easier to Build Green - A new banking program here aims to encourage developers and investors to start green building projects by offering financial incentives like providing more money at a lower cost, higher loan-to value, and lower interest rates.
3. Texas Issues First Lease for Geothermal Energy Exploration and Development along Gulf Coast - Texas has awarded the state's first lease for geothermal energy production to Ormat Technologies, Inc., which plans to explore the renewable energy's potential along seven Gulf Coast counties.  The company paid $55,645, or $5 an acre, for the right to explore 11,129 acres for pockets of hot water and steam under the ocean floor, the General Land Office announced Tuesday.
4. Building Greener and Cheaper than LEED - While many argue over the costs and benefits of requiring LEED-certification, some affordable housing developers have shown that building green doesn't require following the program's recommendations.

LEED-H Silver, Energy Star, Earth Advantage - Dolph Creek Townhomes

In Portland, Oregon, there's a sustainable development called The Headwaters at Tryon Creek, which is a 2.88 acre, master-planned, mixed-income community that prioritizes sustainable building practices, energy + water conservation, wildlife habit restoration, and stormwater management.  One portion of the development includes the Dolph Creek Townhomes, which are 14 for sale, attached townhouses that are LEED Silver, Energy Star, and Earth Advantage certified.  Quite the list of certifications!  These luxury townhouses vary in size from 1,585 - 1,695 square feet, and in price from $369,950 - $379,950...purchasers qualify for the State Residential Energy Tax Credit. 

In addition to saving up to 45% on annual energy costs, here are some of the green features:  solar panels with 80 gallon storage tank, energy efficient windows, green label carpet, formaldehyde free cabinetry and wood products, heat recovery ventilators, on-demand gas and solar water heating, polyfoam insulation, exhaust fans in all the garages, drip irrigation system, and low-flow toilets, showers, and water faucets.  Of course, the floors will be bamboo (hopefully not the Chinese import variety) and the patio will have ipe hardwood decking.  From what I've seen, this looks like quite the community. 

Innovative Home - Spring 2007

This is the best $9.95, I've spent in a long time.  I read Innovative Home when it comes out every quarter, but the Spring 2007 edition is unbelievable.  Go get a copy.

Modern Green Living: An Impressive Database of Green Buildings + Experts

Modern Green Living: My House is Smarter Your House™  A little bit back, I watched Josh Dorfman (owner + CEO of Vivavi, producer + host of The Lazy Environmentalist) unveil Modern Green Living.  According to the company, Modern Green Living is a "go-to source for those who wish to build, buy, rent, or remodel an eco-friendly home."  According to me, Modern Green Living is a nicely positioned website providing unparalleled access to (1) green experts and (2) green buildings. 

Green Buildings
Modern Green Living boasts a comprehensive and impressive database of green apartments, condos, and residential communities located throughout the United States and Canada.  It's a veritable reservoir of information relating to modern + green structures, many of which have been featured on Jetson Green: The Visionaire, Arterra, + Green Valley Lofts (to name a few).  The site allows visitors to rate green buildings, research a building's green credentials, and search for green buildings in a certain city.  As more buildings are built, this database is only going to get bigger and bigger.

Green Experts
Depending on who you are and what you need, Modern Green Living also has a database of green architects, green builders + contractors, green consultants, green interior designers, green realtors, and green remodelers.  Find who you need, where you need, and get yourself listed (if you fit in one of the categories).  Overall, I'm impressed with the site's navigability and clarity--there really is a rich bank of information on green experts and buildings.  I'm also surprised at how fast the website has grown in such a short amount of time.  Go take a gander...

The Advent of "Green Options" + The Green Report (Updated)

I'm going to keep this short, but as an FYI, the blogosphere is officially welcoming Green Options to the scene.  In full disclosure, I am a contributor to the site, so I have a modicum of bias as far as that's concerned.  That said, I'm not so connected to anything to put myself in a position to not be honest.  If that makes sense.  Although Green Options is being heralded as new to the green scene, many of its contributors are old pros when it comes to the blogging world.  Here are a few heavy-hitters with their own blogs in parenthesis:  Jeff McIntire-Strasburg (Treehugger + Sustainablog), Michael d'Estries (GroovyGreen + Ecorazzi), Rebecca Carter (GreenerMiami + Ecorazzi), Shea Gunther (Musings of an Eco-Entrepreneur), Philip Proefrock (EcoGeek, contributor), and Amy Stodghill (It's the Environment, Stupid). 

I like the simplicity of the site.  It's clean and very easy to look at.  I really dig "The Green Report," not to be confused with the popular Drudge Report.  I can't wait for The Green Report to get some big-time visits from the public, to watch news work its way around that page.  The Green Report is going to be like Hugg is to Digg.  If you know what I mean.  Nice job Shea + Jeff. 

Update (4/2/2007): In the interests of full disclosure, I thought I would mention that I've decided to no longer be a member of the Green Options blog team. 

VIDEO: Greenbuild 2006 - Reflections + The Future

[Run time = about 10 min.]  "You inevitably have to think about the consequences of what you do.  What I'm doing could effect someone I've never met and never will, and maybe even isn't even alive yet.  If you look at it that way, then you really have to approach everything you do with more respect: the materials you use, the people you work with, what is the life of this thing, and where is it going..."  - Lance Hosey, William McDonough + Partners

Head on over to the video produced by The Butler Bros, for some good conversation about this green phenomenon.  The video includes talk from Deborah Snoonian (Plenty Magazine), A. David Lester (Council of Energy Resource Tribes), Bo Barber (Nood Flooring), Holley Henderson (H2 EcoDesign), James Jarret (Shaw Industries Inc.), Sven Eberlein (Smith & Fong Plyboo), and Caleb Ludwick (Tricycle, Inc.).  Via SSF. 

TXU's Texas Coal Rush + Marc Gunther

I've blogged about this monstrous issue in the past, but I found Marc Gunther's article in Fortune Magazine to be a great explication of the situation.  When you stop to think about it, everyone in the world is coming out to oppose these plants.  The entire discussion gets confused with rhetoric of clean coal versus dirty coal, the benefits of carbon offsetting, and increases in demand with insufficient supply. 

If you let TXU frame the debate, you've already lost.  Start asking your own questions and stop believing everything they say. 

Case in point:  Q for TXU:  What are you going to do about all the mercury pollution that increases the risk of reduced brain function and developmental problems in about 630,000 children each year (at a societal cost of $8.7 billion)?  TXU Kim Morgan replies, "Not a problem...TXU's new plants will comply with the EPA's mercury rules."  Really?  How smug.  How about this: forget compliance, we don't want mercury damaging our society.  This is an externality that needs to be figured into the so called cheap price of coal energy.

Skyscraper Sunday: LEED Candidate MintoSkyy (Toronto)

Going green isn't all that difficult when sustainability is woven into the fiber and fabric of your company's existence.  There are a few companies in the business world that survive on a green business strategy.  Right now, it might be a niche play, but things change as everyone else comes around.  Minto is a Canadian real estate company with a history of quality, green developments.  Green is in the company's fabric.  In 2006, Minto received the Canadian LEED Silver for MintoGardens (Toronto), a 34-story condominium complex.  Now, they're going after another LEED certification with MintoSkyy.  Minto builds to LEED standards to "promote healthier living, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save residents money, and contribute to a healthier planet." 

MintoSkyy is all about living in a modern, sophisticated environment with expansive windows and breathtaking views.  In addition, suites will have individual meters for water and electricity (you pay for what you use); energy efficient thermal windows; an "all-off" switch at the front door that lets you leave knowing all the lights are off; and energy efficient appliances.  Minto also has a rigid common area management system that minimizes consumption of light and energy resources.  Also, the building will rely heavily on recycled materials, environmentally friendly paints, and a green roof (which reduces heating + cooling costs).  Located at Broadview + Pottery Road in Toronto, this 23-story condo tower looks pretty good to me.  :: Minto ::

WIR: Green CBS Radio, Wal-Mart's Sustainability 360, + The Green Premium

1. U.S. Homebuyers Will Pay Premium For Green Homes - More than half of homebuilders surveyed report that buyers are willing to pay a premium of between 11-25 percent for green-built homes. The same builders report that the average green homebuyer is between the ages of 35-50 with a college degree and fair understanding of green products.
2. CBS RADIO Launches its First 'Green' Focused Radio Station - CBS RADIO announced the launch of 94.7 The Globe, its first "green" focused radio station. The Washington D.C. station will operate using renewable energy to power its 50,000 watt signal. This move will contribute to lowering the threat of global warming through the purchase of energy resources generated by wind. Additionally, station vehicles will be replaced with hybrid models.  See also 94.7 The Globe. 
3. Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott Unveils 'Sustainability 360' - President and CEO Lee Scott today unveiled "Sustainability 360" -- a company-wide emphasis on taking sustainability beyond reducing the company's direct environmental footprint to engaging Wal-Mart's associates, suppliers, communities and customers.  Scott also announced the company's intention to introduce "Global Innovation Projects" -- one of which is a challenge for Wal-Mart associates and suppliers to start thinking about how to remove non-renewable energy from the products the company sells.

The Plenty 20 + Fiberstars' Efficient Fiber Optics

The February/ March 2007 edition of Plenty Magazine has a really good article called "The Plenty 20" by Danielle Wood.  You won't find it online, so go pick up a copy.  Generally speaking, magazine lists have a tendency to be contrived, opinionated, and/or incomplete, but I thought The Plenty 20 was rather thorough.  The article profiled an Ohio-based company called Fiberstars (NASDAQ: FBST).  The U.S. government funded the research that became Fiberstars' Efficient Fiber Optic Technology (EFO) with grants totaling about $13 million.  Now, its lights illuminate the Declaration of Independence and the Magna Carta. 

How efficient are EFO lights?  Their efficiency is analogous to improving gas mileage in your car from 12 MPG to 50 MPG.  That's efficient.  So efficient, these lights were used in the green Bill Clinton Presidential Library. 

EFO lights do not emit heat or ultraviolet rays, so they are perfect for museum or archival applications.  One 70-watt metal halide lamp, which connects to a fiber optic system, can equal the output of eight 50 watt bulbs.  Specifically in terms of efficiency, the EFO saves up to 80% on energy consumption, saves on maintenance (requires less work due to longer life), and saves one watt of HVAC for every three watts of lighting because the EFOs do not emit heat.  Not bad.  Further, Fiberstars EFO may reduce mercury emissions by up to 75% and their Reuse-Recycle Program allows customers to reuse 97% of the lamp and recycle the rest.  Currently, most of Fiberstars' customers are commercial entities such as Whole Foods, McDonalds, Trump Tower, Starbucks, Nordstrom's, Chevron, etc.  Maybe we're not that far from turn-key consumer applications?

Here are some of the other companies on The Plenty 20: Nanosolar, ECD Ovonics, Greenfuel Technologies, Envirofit International, GE, Organic Valley, Tesla Motors, Southwest Windpower, Domini, Toyota, Whole Foods, Green Mountain Energy, Konarka, Goldman Sachs, Ormat Technologies, Ice Energy, Green Sandwich Technologies, Green Mountain Coffee, and Naturalawn.

Would You Pay a Premium to Lease Green Space?

Here's the situation.  You have two new 15-story buildings in a good location near downtown.  Both buildings have received several inquiries from potential tenants.  Building #1 is a traditionally-built, modern facility.  Building #2 is similar, but it's green (LEED-CS + LEED-CI).  A lease for 40,000 square feet of space at #1 is $35 and #2 is $36.50 per square feet.  Would you pay the extra $1.50 per square foot to lease space in the green building?  We're talking about a serious premium.  I'm interested to hear what your perspective is on this. 

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, these rents are justifiable for a few reasons.  I'm going to clip out a few comments from their article, but feel free to read the entire thing. 

• Organizations with business models reflecting sustainability will be more likely to pay the premium. 
• Although green buildings are going up at an incredible rate, most of these are for use by the owners and most developers view speculative green developments as risky. 
• There is a dearth of tenable green lease space and requests for green space are falling on deaf ears. 
• The market is tenant driven right now and tenants have had success cooperating with owners to make green improvements or renovations. 

I think there will be a paradigm shift, but I don't know how it will happen.  Somehow, the values of individuals and organizations need to shift towards an appreciation of sustainability, and that will create serious, mainstream adoption of green buildings.  Maybe the impetus will be regulatory?  Self-imposed?  Strategic?  I learned in Starting a Business 101, that some of the best opportunities in business become available due to a void or an absence in the market.  If it's true that some customers and tenants are requesting green space, but the inventory isn't available, there's a void in the market that will be filled by the first innovators.  The rest will wake up some day and think, "I thought green buildings were for hippies?!  What's going on?"  Which is partially an answer to my post the other day.  Via Appraisal Podcasts. 

Construction 2.0: Jeriko House + Luxury, Green Living

Jeriko is Different... Design... Strength... Green... Flexibility... Living.  Jeriko House: It Lives in you.  Today, New Orleans-based CEO of Jeriko House, Shawn Burst, announced his company's plans to enter the modular/prefab home building market with 5 different models (each with an infinite number of configurations).  Burst teamed up with a German engineer to use a patented, interlocking aluminum framing system--one that is strong enough to meet the strictest U.S. earthquake and hurricane building codes.  The plumbing, appliances, lighting, hardware, interior finishes, and exterior cladding are all integrated into an advanced structural system through the collaborative efforts of a team and network of design/construction professionals.  Starting at $175 per square foot, a Jeriko House will have such luxuries as Asian teak wood finishes, coconut skin walls, Indian rosewood door handles and stone, and marble + ceramics from around the globe.  Homes will also include "biometric systems and homeowner-friendly technology."  Bourne-style, I presume. 

The first home will be completed in New Orleans and the company anticipates orders of 100 more relatively soon.  Actually, they're taking orders right now for May delivery.  Their website says a purchaser is responsible for permits, site work, foundation, plumbing, electrical, HVAC rough in, and landscaping.  Shipping is included in the cost of the home, and Jeriko will help you build it. 

Green Commitment:
Straight from the website: "We feel it is our duty at Jeriko House to take a leading role in the efforts to save our planet. Sustainability, energy efficiency and environmental friendliness are at the core of our beliefs. With a R&D team searching the globe for the latest and greatest green innovations and technology Jeriko will fulfill its roll as a socially responsible company at the forefront of the Green Revolution."  I like what Jeriko's saying, but we can't forget that acting locally, rather than globally, has its green benefits as well.  Also, take a look at today's press release.  For every 10 houses sold, those 10 owners form a committee that votes to give a Jeriko House to a family in need somewhere in the U.S.  I think Jeriko is taking an innovative perspective to all facets of the business and can't wait to see the first home!  Maybe I'll just drive down and see it when they're done. 

Owens Corning Headquarters Receives Silver LEED-EB Certification

The Energy Star-rated Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) world headquarters building in Toledo, Ohio, has added another badge of honor with Silver LEED-EB certification.  Designed by Cesar Pelli (listed by the AIA as one of the 10 Most Influential American Architects) and built in 1996, Pelli spoke approvingly of the certification, "I am pleased this facility provided the solid foundation needed to earn the recognition that the LEED Existing Building certification provides."  For a couple other examples of LEED-EB buildings, feel free to click over to read about Adobe + Union Bank of California Center.  Owens Corning also runs The Pink Panther Energy Blog, which informs customers on insulation + energy conservation best practices. 

Green Features:
Here are just a few of the green features mentioned in the certification: under-floor ventilation for energy-efficient air delivery and specific control of thermal comfort; low maintenance, indigenous landscaping; easterly facing building allowing for natural lighting control via adjustable shading; and reusable, removable, non-adhesive carpet squares throughout almost the entire building.  See also CO + PRNewswire. 

Carnival of the Green #62

As you all know, Carnival of the Green is basically a carnival of blog posts that gets passed around from one green site to another.  Posting happens on Mondays.  Treehugger graciously supports the endeavor, so pop on over there if you're interested in hosting a carnival or submitting an article (carnivalofgreen [at] gmail dot com).  Last week, Carnival #61 was at Clay & Wattles, and next week, Carnival #63 will be at Nonoscience.

That said, I received a ton of articles and commentary, a virtual smattering of diverse topics, so go ahead and check 'em out.  Here we go in no particular order:

• Greening the Green Festival (Video = 5:53 min.) - by Melissa Mansfield + Averan Gale at LAGreenLiving. 
• What's Next for Nature?  Innovation and a Few Ads - by Victoria E at Victoria E. 
• Eco-Fashion Q&A: Denim Repair and Cheap Style - by Victoria E at GroovyGreen. 
• Geologists Find Strong Evidence of Climate Change - by Barbara Feiner at OrganicAuthority.com. 
• Ecological Decline "A Greater Threat than International Terrorism": The Challenge for Business - by Leon Gettler at Sox First. 
• Living with Ed Makes Fun of Environmentalists and Should be Cancelled - by David at The Good Human. 
• Beyond the Green Corporation - by Rich at Queercents. 
• Beware of Greenwashing at the Grocery - by Micaela at Mindful Momma. 
• It's Time Again for Nuclear (with 150 coal plants on the drawing board)! - by Jake Kearns at Real Green Tips. 
• Birth of an Advocate: From Sports Cars to Hybrids - by Beo at GroovyGreen. 
• Barenaked Ladies Look After Their Mother + 'Firefighter' Blows Smokescreen at Fire Retardant Legislation - by Matthew Fried at Enviroblog. 
• Weiners & Burgers Heating the Planet More than Cars - by Sally Kneidel at Veggie Revolution. 
• Harvesting Justice (marginalization & health risks of farm workers) - by Harlan Weikle (Editor of Greener Magazine) at Veggie Revolution. 
• Fresh Water Tanganyika - by Greener News Room at Greener Magazine. 
• Envirolet Composting Toilet in Stage Production of "The War Next Door" - by Scott Smith at Envirolet Buzz. 
• State of the (Green) Union - by Don Bosch at The Evangelical Ecologist. 
• Tear Up CRP Ground and Contracts for Ethanol? + Now It's the Ethanol Surge - by Ken Cook at Mulchblog. 
• Illegal Coffee Growing Threatens Wildlife, Kraft Major Buyer + Follow Up: Nestle & Starbucks Respond to Illegal Coffee Report by The Bird Barista at Coffee and Conservation. 
• Keeping Wildlife Coverage Wild, Engaging - by Jeremy Bruno at The Voltage Gate. 
• Professor Quippy: Climate Change Scientists Get Angry - by Mark A. Rayner at The Skwib.
• High Anxiety: Thoughts on the Sustainability of High-Rise Developments - by Roger Butterfield at Words and Pictures. 
• Green is Making Me See Red (L-O-N-G) - by Wenchypoo at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket. 
• Top Socially Responsible Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Firms - by H.S. Ayoub at BioHealth Investor. 
• Jim Webb: Is a Star Born? - by Rey Thomas at The Thomas Political Report. 
• Patching Holey Clothes - by Kevin Surbaugh at Becoming & Staying Debt Free. 

That's about 28 articles, so this should be enough to keep you busy for the next week.  Thanks for letting me participate Treehugger!!

Skyscraper Sunday: LEED Silver One Victory Park

Taking a page from local developer Harwood, it looks like Hillwood decided to throw its hat into the green development ring with One Victory Park.  1VP is a 20-story, 450,000 square-foot, LEED-Silver office building slated for completion in 2008.  I've read a few conflicting reports on the actual details of the building, so we'll have to watch and really determine the true specs.  Hines + Hillwood will be co-developing the project, which includes a Two Victory Park that seems identical to 1VP.  Boka Powell is the lead architect with Austin Commercial as the general contractor.   

1VP already has a tenant for six floors of the building.  Haynes and Boone recently announced that it would relocate from the Bank of America tower (tenant of 22 years), retaining Gensler as the interior design architect.  A recent news article pointed to suggestions that all the offices would be the same size, meaning senior and junior attorneys would be indistinguishable according to office size.  Why?  Efficiency and money savings.  Use your imagination on this one.  Image via. 

Noteworthy Green News: Week in Review

1. Massachusetts Power Plants to Pay Emissions Penalties: State Rejoins a Northeast Greenhouse Gas Initiative - Massachusetts power plant owners will have to pay a penalty for every pound of emissions that contribute to global warming under an agreement signed by Governor Deval Patrick yesterday that is expected to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for an ambitious energy conservation and renewable energy program.
2. Green Schools the Hottest Market for Green Building According to McGraw-Hill Construction's Latest Report - MHC found that the education sector is the fastest-growing market for green building, good news for the industry, given that education construction (at the K-12 and university levels) is the largest construction sector, by value, at $53 billion for 2007.
3. Wind Farm Building Boom to Continue in 2007: Wind Power Capacity in the U.S. Grew 27% Last Year - The U.S. now has enough installed wind power capacity (11,603 megawatts) to power between 3 million and 3.5 million homes, which reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by 23 million tons of carbon dioxide. The number of homes relying on electricity produced by wind energy will rise to nearly 4.5 million by year's end if the AWEA's forecast is accurate.
4. The U.S. Climate Action Partnership: Big Businesses and Eco-Advantage - The companies in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership are Alcoa, BP America, DuPont, Caterpillar, General Electric, Duke Energy, Lehman Brothers, PG&E, PNM Resources and FPL.  These big businesses have a goal help the U.S. create public policy that would act aggressively and sustainably to slow, stop, and reverse the growth of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  See also NRDC. 

Clarification Please! Is Green Building More Expensive or Not?

Recently, I attended a guest lecture by a seasoned real estate developer, and he was talking about the profitability of his projects.  This speaker has major experience will all types of investments including retail, single family, industrial, condo, etc.  I put him on the spot and asked him about the numbers he's seen on sustainable developments.  His answer:  "They're expensive, a break-even proposition at best.  Development is going that direction, but not now.  They're not cheap, at all.  We're talking 20, 30, 40% more expensive.  I won't do them."  I was blown away. 

In stark contrast, on Monday, January 22, Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council, said to the Miami Herald, "We are now at the point where you can build to LEED standards and it is not one penny more than conventional buildings.  We are more experienced now.  We have a proliferation of green building products and services."  From this perspective, it's profitable and financially responsible to be environmental and build green. 

Someone's wrong, who is it?

When I hear Fedrizzi's statement, I'm led to believe that he's accounting for construction on a first costs basis (not including the operational savings).  And I think he is.  He's saying it costs the same to build green as non-green, on a first costs basis.  I mentioned the obstacles to building green recently, so is this a case where the developer was unaware?  What's the deal?  I'm interested in hearing some real world discussion here. 

Steven Spielberg Movie on William McDonough, FAIA, the "Eco-tect?"

I hope so.  When I wrote about Green Sandwich Technologies, true south orientation, and Greenbridge Developments, I was talking about Bill McDonough.  I've also mentioned his Cradle to Cradle notion, which is about much more than sustainability, it's about "waste = food" and what happens to stuff when no one wants to use it anymore (C2C Book).  His ideas are transforming the way companies do business and make money.  And that's why he's a big deal.  He's the "Eco-tect," or the Ecological Architect, but he's also more than that:  he's innovating architecture, design, and business all at the same time.  This is the story that Steven Spielberg wants to make a movie about, and I think it will be extremely compelling. 

Right now, McDonough's company is working with Google on its campus.  He's also helping to design six cities and one village in China with stringent standards of sustainability.  If you've ever been to China, you know how big these cities can get, so we're talking about sustainability and innovation on a gigantic scale.  The American public could benefit from McDonough's reservoir of knowledge and experience, so I'm hoping that Spielberg continues with his first impulse and follows through with the film.  Via Business 2.0.   

Dallas Mayor Laura Miller Needs a Good Book to Fight Coal Plants

There was a short mention in Dallas Morning News' Quick (pg. 19 - January 22, 2007 - pdf) about what Mayor Laura Miller is reading.  Admirably, she's working down a New York Times list of the greatest American novels published during the last 25 years.  But she's also reading The Discovery of Global Warming by Spencer R. Weart, to "expand my knowledge base as I challenge the construction of new coal-fired power plants in Texas."  Interesting.  I think I would have chosen Paul Hawken's The Ecology of Commerce.  But that's me. 

So here's my question: keeping in mind the goal to become educated on the environmental impact of coal plants, what book would you recommend that Mayor Laura Miller read?  Or did she pick the right one?  Comments are open. 

Skyscraper Sunday: Arterra - The LEED-Certified San Francisco Treat

Arterra is an urban living, high-rise community in Mission Bay that will have a mixture of flats and townhomes of various sizes.  Arterra has three buildings: "Sky," a 16-level tower, "City," a 9-level building, and "Park," a 6-level building with 2-story homes.  Go to the Arterra website and you can watch a video that shows you the views from each building.  Because Arterra is a high-end lifestyle community, you will have benefits such as 24-hour concierge, state-of-the-art fitness center, community lounge, rooftop sun deck with lounge and barbecue, etc.  But, another feature of Arterra is that it will be the first LEED-Certified Green high-rise community in San Francisco. 

Green Features:
Arterra is going after LEED certification, so here are some of the current green amenities being planned:  formaldehyde-free cabinets (Studio Becker); low-emitting paint and carpets; high-efficiency water heating boiler; Kohler dual-flush toilets and other water-saving features; low-E, energy-efficient, insulated windows; Energy Star home appliances and gas ranges; bamboo for all standard kitchen floors; cork flooring at all elevator levels; recycled glass floors and FSC-Certified wood walls in entry-level lobby; bicycle storage in the parking garage; and recycled content panels for the exterior facade.  Arterra is being developed by Intracorp Companies. 

Noteworthy Green News: Week in Review

1. Bold U.S. Energy Goal Put Forward on Capitol Hill: 25% of Energy from Renewable Sources by 2025 - A bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives have re-introduced the 25x'25 House and Senate Concurrent Resolutions calling for a new national renewable energy goal: 25% of the nation's energy supply from renewable sources by 2025 (see also www.25x25.org).
2. Wal-Mart to Open First High-Efficiency Store; Supercenter Expected to Use 20% Less Energy - Wal-Mart Stores,Inc. (NYSE: WMT) announced it will open tomorrow in Kansas City, Mo., the first in a series of high-efficiency stores that will use 20% less energy than a typical Supercenter.  The new high-efficiency stores will integrate industry-leading heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems to conserve energy.
3. Poll Says 77% of American Say U.S. Must Do More to Spur Green Technologies - The Zogby/TechNet nationwide poll of 1,043 Americans found that 77% of U.S. voters believe that our nation must do more to promote green technologies.  75% of the voting population said that their purchasing decisions in the past year have been influenced by a desire to save energy and improve the environment.
4. Unleash Your Inner Al Gore with These 12 Eco-Tips - Being green isn't just for tree-huggers anymore. In fact, 2007 may be a banner year for going green.  Read on. 

Green Building: Finding True South to Optimize Orientation

You may have already heard that House & Garden Magazine took a green approach in its latest installment, the February issue I believe.  One article talks about an interview with William McDonough, in which he mentions the orientation of a home.  Earlier, I blogged about Global Green USA's Top 20 list of low- or no-cost green building strategies and orientation was #1.  Regarding orientation, the rule is to "orient a building to maximize natural daylighting."  As part of the orientation process, one needs to find a building's true south and build it in such a way, to maximize sun exposure/non-exposure, and thereby, optimize energy-efficiency (i.e., use the sun instead of artificial lighting, use the sun's warmth instead of heating, use the shade's cool instead of air conditioning, etc.). 

McDonough pointed out that many architects and builders don't know how to find true south.  If a compass is used, the compass indicates south, which can differ from true south by more than 15 degrees.  Remember, orienting a home is about orienting the home to sun exposure, not magnetic south.  To find true south, one needs two things:  (1) to know your geography's solar noon, and (2) to use the sun to draw perfect north/south line exactly at solar noon.  Solar noon is the time when the sun hits the highest point in the sky and can be found using the following Sunrise/Sunset Calculator.  Once the solar noon is figured out, take a line with a weight attached to it, hold it up in the air at solar noon, and the shadow line will reveal the proper north/south orientation of a home.  That line will point to true south and will help you build the home properly, assuming you have some latitude in deciding the orientation of the home.

Eco-Friendly Green Planet Paints: Natural + Zero VOC

Guest post contributed by Nancy Haecker, Co-Founder of Green Planet Paints, an Arizona-based company innovating natural, zero VOC paints for compelling interior applications. 

Beauty.  Simplicity.  Green Planet Paints (GPP) has developed an interior house paint that sets a new standard for environmentally responsible paint.  Using natural, renewable plant and minerals sources, GPP has created a soy based resin to replace the use of petrochemicals in paint, creating an innovative, zero VOC paint. They have also replaced the harmful dye coloring system with clay color pigments.  The results are a paint built and manufactured by sustainable principles that surpass conventional paints in performance and color.  Green Planet Paints are recommended for interior wall surfaces and come in exotic and earthy colors.  Green Planet Paints can be purchased at select retail stores or on the website.  Nancy Haecker can be reached at nancyhaecker [a] earthlink dot net.

3Form Named a Top 25 Fastest Growing Company in Utah Business Magazine

I was in Utah over the weekend for Equity Green's wedding.  He's a real estate tax guy named Garrett, so visit the archives if you want to learn about green real estate from that perspective.  While in town, I picked up Utah Business magazine, which included an article on the state's 2007 Economic Forecast, and I noticed a list of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies [Registration required].  Guess who was on the list as the state's #22 fastest growing companies?  3Form.  The magazine says 3Form is company that "creates resin products for design and construction industries."  More specifically, 3Form is committed to environmental solutions for their industry and was recognized by BuildingGreen in 2006, for having a Top-10 Green Building Product.  I've written about both 3Form and the Top-10 Green Building Products list previously at the links above. 
 

IceCycle: Innovation in Thermal Energy Storage

Guest post contributed and co-authored by Mark Glover, CEO of Trinity Thermal Systems, and David Anderson, COO of Trinity Thermal Systems.  Mark and David are joint founders, inventors, and pioneers in green energy storage technology.

The Current Energy Situation
Storage is an integral part of every man-made system we have.  We have food in our pantries, fuel in our car gas tanks, and water in our water towers to meet our needs on demand.  Man’s greatest machine is our mass network of electricity and grid, but it does NOT have storage built in.  Which means, it is not only how much, but when we use electricity that is important.  Electrical supply and demand must perfectly balance every minute of every day; standby electric capacity must exist to instantly ramp up to the highest possible peak demand at a moments notice, with reserve capacity of ten to fifteen percent in case demand is under estimated or mechanical breakdown occurs.  If we fail to meet even a moment of this growing demand, we have blackouts or brownouts that paralyze our business economy and threaten the health of our families.

Green Key Real Estate Expands into Second Office (Marin County)

Here on Jetson Green, I've talked about EcoBroker, but I've been waiting to talk about Green Key Real Estate.  I've been waiting to see how the market would respond to their services and today's announcement makes it clear that Green Key Real Estate his hitting all the right market buttons (even in today's erratic real estate market).  Green Key just announced the opening of a second office in Marin County, managed by the husband/wife duo of Cam + Pam Andrews.  This Green Key Marin team is committed to helping buyers and sellers reach their financial objectives without sacrificing environmental responsibility and social equity. 

When the first Green Key office (San Francisco) opened, it drew quite the splash in the blogging world.  Green Key is a residential brokerage firm committed to environmental responsibility and social equity.  Green Key's certified by San Francisco Green business + EcoBroker.  It's also building a database of green properties in their locale; recycling and composting office waste; minimizing paper use with technology; donating a portion of profits to green building organizations; and maintaining a reservoir of knowledge in the industry to help inquisitive purchasers and sellers.  Really, I think Green Key Real Estate is smartly executing on a well developed, eco-friendly business plan.  Via E-wire. 

The Sustainable, High-Performance illumaWALL by Duo-Gard

The "illumaWALL," which is a translucent illuminated wall system designed to project a programmable million+ colors, has been singled out by both Architectural Record and Buildings magazines in their 2006 lists of top products.  If I must say so, that's quite the achievement.  The illumaWALL incorporates translucent polycarbonate glazings with programmable LED lighting for custom design/build applications.  Depending on the type of energy a project is looking for, the illumaWALL could be used both in the interior and exterior, and in commercial, retail, hotel, education, entertainment, industrial, healthcare, or residential uses. 

From what I understand, the wall will also contribute LEED points towards a building owner's certification.  The translucent polycarbonate glazings minimize heat gain and glare (which leads to lower heating and cooling costs) and the LED lighting incorporates low-voltage, low-heat design.  Not bad.  I could see how the illumaWALL would be good for a restaurant, spa, or retail store, depending on the overall design and brand concept.  Via PRNewswire + Duo-Gard + Info PDF. 

Green Building: A Contractor's Perspective by Chris Hurst

Guest post contributed by Chris Hurst, President/Contractor at Hurst Construction since 1986.  Over the past five years, I've focused on energy-efficient construction, passive solar design, and sustainable construction; here are a few observations on the green building movement from a nuts and bolts, contractor's perspective.

Challenge #1:  Lack of Knowledge and/or Awareness
The average consumer, architect, or designer has no clue what I am talking about when I describe energy-efficient, sustainable construction.  To build a super-insulated passive house is not really difficult--sure it costs more, but the payback averages about 5 years for the extra cost.  Then you're insulated from future energy price hikes (i.e., you can pay me a little bit more now or the utility/oil company can take a lot more for the rest of your life!). 

There really is an enormous amount of bad design out there...I average one client a month who has a horrible set of plans for a home with absolutely no regard for energy-efficiency, passive solar design, or practical sustainable design criteria.  Recently, a couple came to me with a home design plan with 58 corners (every extra corner adds time and money to a construction job); unfortunately, they payed $10,000 for this pile of crap.  We told them the only option was to trash it and start over. 

Skyscraper Sunday: LEED Gold Connecting Old + New (Seattle)

I came across an interesting statistic (which will be obsolete in no time) about LEED certified office buildings.  There are about 669 LEED certified office buildings, and of that number, only 38 are remodels.  Why?  When you have a building that's occupied, how are you going do a green renovation without losing rents?  Here's one way.  The former Union Bank of California Center, the 41-story, 34-year-old building owned by Beacon Capital Partners, is looking to be one of the few LEED-Existing Building (EB) certified structure in the United States.  Because most of the leases are due to expire over the next five years, the company will be able to renovate as space opens up.  They'll shift tenants around until the building is complete.   

This is about a $36 million remodel job.  Green amenities will include the following:  shaved columns for added light; automated artificial lights; recycled and recyclable carpet; no- or low-VOC paints; recycled metal in ceilings; new insulation in walls that were uninsulated; new high-efficiency heating and cooling systems; water-efficient bathroom fixtures; and runoff water landscaping. 

Additionally, BCP started construction next door on a new, 24-story, 126-unit green condo tower at Fifth Avenue and Madison Street.  The new building will be complete in 2008.  BCP officials said they are seeking LEED Gold for both buildings.  I must say that will be a powerful juxtaposition of the old and new:  both environmental leaders in their own way (EB + NC).  Via Seattle Post-Intelligencer + Emporis.

Noteworthy Green News: Week in Review

1. Kulongoski Proposes $30 Million for Green Energy - Oregon Governor Kulongoski's budget proposal includes $5.2 million for the nation's first in-water wave generation and demonstration research facility, $2 million to the state's energy department to place solar panels on top of schools and $10 million to foster geothermal projects at Oregon universities. Another chunk of money, $3.7 million, would provide tax breaks for businesses that use and make products that consume biofuel.
2. Help Wanted--Green; Green Development Could Be a Big Generator of Good Jobs, If America will Seize the Opportunity - There are good jobs to be had in environmentally friendly development, and construction jobs are just the beginning. Thousands of jobs are in products that go into green buildings. The job potential in renewable energy production is even more impressive...
3. China Chokes on Coal-fired Boom: Toxic Cloud of Progress Can be Seen from Space - the Chinese plan to build no fewer than 500 new coal-fired power stations, adding to some 2,000, most of them unmodernised, that spew smoke, carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere...Cancer rates are soaring, child health is a time bomb and...an estimated 400,000 premature deaths nationwide because of pollution every year.
4. Short-term Air Pollution Increases Risk of Heart Attack for Those with Clogged Arteries - A new Brigham Young University study (by Arden Pope) published in the world's top heart journal shows that a one- or two-day rise in air pollution causes a significant increase in the risk of unstable angina and heart attacks in the millions of Americans who have significant coronary artery blockage.

BusinessWeek's Residential Green Tech: Wind Turbines, Geothermal, Solar Panels

There's a slide show on BusinessWeek, which is part of a story written by Aili McConnon.  The story is called, "For Houses, It's Glamorous to be Green."  For attribution, the link to the slide show is here, but I've taken the slide show images and text and created a photo loop through the filmloop software (shown above).  It's pretty handy software, if I say so myself.  You can do a lot of editing in it and there are several different ways to display a show. 

In the slide show, there's information on the StealthGen micro wind turbine, geothermal heating and cooling technology, Sharp's solar panel easy-installation technology, and AeroVironment's Architectural Wind turbines (mentioned here before).  Easy learning, have a good weekend...

LEED Gold David L. Lawrence Convention Center: The Three Rs in 2006

The David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLLCC) was conceived from a design competition in 1999, which was won by Rafael Vinoly Architects, P.C..  After a few years of construction and phased openings, the large structure was completed in September 2003.  After receiving LEED Gold certification, the Pittsburgh structure became the world's first green convention center.  What's interesting, however, is that the DLLCC just released some statistics from 2006 detailing the building's operating performance. 

In their press release, the DLLCC explained its green performance within the framework of the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle): 

• Reduce - utilizing the natural ventilation system for 58 days, roughly 33% of Exhibit Hall's event days, eliminated the need for artificial heating and cooling;
• Reuse - reclaimed more than 4.75 million gallons of water via the water treatment facility and reused about 1,500 wooden pallets;
• Recycle - recycled 65,480 pounds of paper and cardboard (equivalent of 557 trees + 229,000 gallons of water) and 1,720 pounds of glass, plastic, and aluminum. 

General Manager of DLLCC, Mark Leahy explains, "These practices and results are reinforcing the community's belief that greening has a short and long-term positive impact on Pittsburgh and the region."  Exactly.  Yet another example of positive economics and green buildings. 

Eco-Advantage: Green to Gold--the Business Case

One of my goals for the new year is to flaunt the business case for sustainability.  When you add that to the fact that I've seen several blogs talk about reading 1 book/month (as a New Year's Resolution), you get a nasty combination: my resolution + your resolution = reading Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Building Competitive Advantage.  As a caveat, however, I haven't read the book yet, I've only thumbed through the pages and table of contents.  (I couldn't get it before Christmas because that's when you shop for other people, but now, the copies are all gone and I'm waiting).  The book was written by Dan Esty + Andrew Winston and is getting considerable attention in business circles.  The authors also have a blog called Eco-Advantage that I've been reading since November or so.  It's good.  But here's the gist, if you need a book to read, give it a shot. 

Fiona Harvey of Financial Times recommended Green to Gold in her list of books designed "to help the entrepreneur take advantage of [the green trend]."  I'll leave it up to you to determine whether this is a trend.  Here's what she said: "The business reader may have more luck with Green to Gold, a manual on how to turn your company into an eco-success, catching the current wave of consumer and government interest in saving the world from environmental catastrophe."  There you go, what's your review??

Jetson Green 2007: Flaunt the Business Case for Green Real Estate

When I say "green real estate," I'm referring to all aspects of the real estate business.  That includes the following jobs:  developer, owner, third-party manager, agent, broker, investor, architect, contractor, sub-contractor, etc.  There is a business case for the greening of real estate, but here are some preliminary considerations. 

First, "green building" is not only about energy and water efficiency.  It must be remembered that "green building" includes the concepts of indoor air quality and environmental impact.  These three concepts can overlap, but they are distinct.  Each concept can bring profitability in different ways.  Lloyd Alter blogged about this concept (specifically on "ethical design") today on TreeHugger. 

Second, "greenwashing" is a pejorative term for companies that are trying to realize value from sustainability when their products, processes, or services do not deserve the green emphasis.  It's free loading.  It's disingenuous.  It's deceptive.  And it's counter-productive.  To make matters worse, public opinion will draw the line between greenwashing and green marketing, so companies must tread water honestly. 

It's my personal goal for 2007 to flaunt the business case for sustainable real estate.  Here are a couple good examples from 2006. 

• Ex 1: Adobe created value by greening their existing building. 
  
• Ex 2: Ecobroker provides a way for agents to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. 
• Ex 3: New Resource Bank is a case study in efficient market positioning as a niche bank. 

The opportunities exist for companies that want to make a difference and still remain committed to profitability; Jetson Green will remain committed to exposing and documenting those cases. 

Brad Pitt + Global Green USA Seeking Partners for New Orleans Green Community

This is fantastic news--we have a little quid pro quo that could change the future of a company forever.  Seriously.  Pitt + Global Green USA have partnered to build a sustainable community in New Orleans.  They are seeking cornerstone partners, each with category exclusivity, to help create a prototype for affordable, green housing.  Housing will be energy-efficient with environmentally conscious and weather-resistant materials.  Here's how the deal works:

Potential Partner Company Provides:

• $1-2 million in year one, with right of first refusal in years two-four
• Support for green initiatives through employee education
• Support for green initiatives through consumer awareness program, sales of iconic products, etc. 

Potential Partner Company Receives:

• Inclusion in Global Green USA stories with media outlets such as "The Oprah Winfrey Show," People Magazine, "The Today Show," "Dateline NBC," VH1, etc. 
• Earn consumer trust and brand loyalty through commitment to Go Global Green
• Affiliation with celebrity spokesperson Brad Pitt

The deadline to act on this is January 31, 2007.  That's about it as far available information, but I think this could be a great opportunity to get your company going on an explosively green track.  Will it be profitable?  Hard to say, but there looks to be substantial upside.  Via PRNewswire via 'razzi. 

Video: SCIPs + Green Sandwich Technologies

[Runtime = 28:46 min.]  You probably heard about Green Sandwich Technologies (GST) earlier this year when William (Bill) McDonough, FAIA, announced that he'd be on the company's advisory board.  Structural Concrete Insulating Panel (SCIP) technology, also known as Welded Wire Sandwich Panel, has been mentioned in most popular magazines and has the unique achievement of meeting the Cradle to Cradle design protocol.  This video shows Green Sandwich panels in action. 

GST panels have 7 main advantages:  (1) strength - wind load capacity of 200 mph+ and earthquake tolerance of 8.0+; panels resist pests, mold, and vermin; have the highest fire rating in the industry and are water resistant; (2) speed - allow buildings to be erected in 1/2 the time of conventional construction; (3) flexibility - panels can be used for residential, commercial, and industrial uses for floors, walls, roofs, ceilings, pools, and fences; (4) superior sound insulation - they transfer 66% less noise than wood and steel frame walls; (5) superior temperature performance - delivers R-40 performance, good for both hot and cold climates; homeowners can save up to 60% on home energy costs; (6) environmental friendliness - panels contain about 60% recycled/reclaimed materials by volume (40% by weight) + all waste is 100% recyclable; and (7) affordable - builders recognize value in cost savings such as 50% less construction time, 4-12% labor savings, 4-12% material savings, equipment savings, loan carrying cost savings, and energy savings up to 60%.  Click here to see a list of building applications. 

Skyscraper Sunday: The Modern + Green Skyscraper Movement

[Runtime = 4:13 min.]  I wanted to include this video within my post, but E&ETV disabled the embed function, so head over to Youtube this jolly Christmas eve to watch a good primer on green skysrapers.  With modern skyscrapers, everyone is focused on sustainable, energy-efficient structures.  These days, most skyscraper design integrates LEED, as an overlay to the rest of the design process.  The video narrative goes through some of the most popular green skyscrapers, such as World Trade Center Complex, Hearst Tower, and Bank of America Tower.   

Modern Rammed Earth: Red Hill Residence (Australia)

I'm a big-time proponent of green buildings, but if I hear straw bale, adobe, tee pee, or the like, I tend to lose interest.  And the same goes for rammed earth.  That is, until I saw the Red Hill Residence, which happens to be a modern rammed earth home, designed by Christopherchris Architecture.  Not sure what rammed earth is?  Wikipedia + Earth Architecture.  Here's the home's description straight from an article translation:

A contemporary new home for a young family relocating from a busy city environment to the Mornington Peninsula. Constructed primarily from locally sourced rammed earth and ship lapped cedar paneling, the house is sited across the ridge of the property.  The elemental form of the building is enhanced by the contrasting and intersecting selection of material, textures and colours, threaded together by the linear rammed earth wall. Key views to the valley are enjoyed from all living areas and bedrooms, whilst the master bedroom is privileged to a unique vista down to the peninsula and onwards to bass straight.

This Australian home is a beauty!  Tell me this:  would you buy it?  I think I would, but I'd like to hear more about the pros and cons of rammed earth building.  So far, we know that rammed earth can be molded and contoured to create modern, expressive buildings.  Feel free to drop a comment so everyone reading will gain from your insight and experience.  Via Moco.

Market Style Apartments: Comfortable, Green Apartment Community for Naval Personnel

The Navy has commissioned a $39.5 million, 2-level, 6 courtyard apartment community for about 420 Naval service members in Norfolk Naval Station.  What's most impressive is that the community will use environmentally friendly design and pursue LEED certification.  Dubbed Market Style Apartments, the apartments were designed by VOA Associates, a Chicago-based firm with considerable LEED experience.  In addition to the spacious courtyard areas, there will be 3 two-story lounge areas for social gatherings.  Generally speaking, the design is part of an overall movement towards friendlier, welcoming military housing.  In addition to using recycled materials in its construction, the apartments are expected to consume 20% less energy.  There will be low-VOC paints, carpets + other indoor products and the fixtures will be chosen for water savings (low-flow fixtures, efficient shower heads, and automated water shut-offs).  Construction begins in the Spring 2007 and finishes 2008-2009.  Via MHN. 

Mixed Use Summit 2006: 4 Reasons To Think About Sustainability

Never mind the fact that I'm supposed to be finishing a final for intellectual property, I spent the day at Victory Park and the new Dallas W Hotel, attending the Mixed Use Summit, presented by Commercial Property News and Multi-Housing News.  I found the seminar extremely enlightening and educational; I wanted to pass on some nuggets of green development wisdom.  If you could provide a nugget, a quote of sorts, on green building and the future of sustainability, what would it be?  Comments are open. 

On Sustainability:
"If you're not thinking about sustainability, you're missing the boat.  TODs, urban development, LEED, etc.  There are four reasons you should be thinking about it:  (1) it's the right thing to do, (2) your competition's doing it, (3) it adds value to the project, and (4) it speeds up the process."  - Ken Ryan, Principal of EDAW Inc. 

On LEED:

• "This is where the future is going and groups are getting staffed up with LEED Accredited Professionals, they're getting everyone certified."
• "It's sort of a best practices thing."
• "It's easier to sell LEED to corporate tenants, rather than human tenants, but we're starting to get there..."
• "If you have a project and people are worried about the bottom line, it's tough to go LEED, especially the contractors--they're hard to get on board, but the sales appeal is very big.  Developers know the appeal is big and they're trying to figure it out..."
• "In a place like Chicago, with all the requirements they have, you're about 3/4 the way to LEED, so you might as well take the plunge and go all the way." 

This conference had many of the best developers and architects from around the country in one room, strategizing and talking about the future of land use, specifically urban development + smart growth, in the US. 

Official Jetson Green Prodigious Commenter Contest

I like people that leave comments.  Comment-ary adds color + perspective that I may not have otherwise considered.  The blogger over at geekwhat did a post about the Top 5 Reasons Why Blog Readers Don't Leave Comments, and I'm convinced there's some substance to what he's saying.  I also saw the Eco-Entrepreneur (his blog is down right now) give away his 700th post to whoever commented for the number that he guessed.  He guessed third, so the third commenter won.  So in the spirit of giving and encouraging eco-edification via comments, I'm inaugurating the Official Jetson Green Prodigious Commenter Award.  I will give away $25 to the 500th comment on Jetson Green.  Not necessarily on this post, but when we get to that point, you'll know...

Logistics:
First, we're already partly there, so who knows when #500 will come?  Second, I will provide payment to a paypal address or via mailed money order.  I'm no stiff, don't worry.  Third, comments do not include spam or hate.  These comments will be deleted and not figured into the mix.  Fourth, when you comment, your email is registered, so I will contact you via email.  Fifth, if I could muster up sponsors, I'd give that stuff away too...Maybe for round #2. 

Update: 4/2 - only at 177 comments. 

Eco-Friendly Knight Benches from Forms+Surfaces

The December 2006 edition of Buildings magazine included the Editor's Choice Top Product Picks (about 100 different products) and I wanted to talk about one certain product.  Assume the following:  you're a developer, you're going green, and you're working hard to get approval on something like a large PUD, or maybe something like what the guys at LandPooling do.  Well, you're going to have beautiful, open green space and the proper benches and lighting to allow residents to enjoy the development.  Take a gander at the Knight family of products available at Forms+Surfaces.  The Knight Bench is sharp looking and comes backed/backless, with/without armrests, in 6-foot + 8-foot lengths.  You choose.  The bench is surface mounted. 

Green Features:
First, it's fabricated with solid aluminum made of 95 % recycled content.  The surface is then clear-coated to resist oxidation (not sure what the coat is).  The wood slats are Ipe, which is a sustainably harvested wood that has the USDA Forest Products Laboratory's highest rating for decay and insect resistance.  The bench is fully recyclable, which is important when looking to the life cycle.

The Knight series also includes a litter receptacle, bollard (CFL or HID), and pedestrian lighting.  The geometric design of the Knight series is completely amazing.  You'll note that Forms+Surfaces is a member of the USGBC and committed to sustainability (www.forms-surfaces.com).

 

Natural Home + 2 Eco-Smart Townhouses: A Project in Green Renovation (Brooklyn)

Green building renovation is the future; there are so many inefficient structures and the time will come when deciding not to renovate a building would be similar to using a typewriter when you have a laptop.  Why not start now?  Natural Home Magazine is chronicling a developer who will take a seedy, dilapidated (Boerum Hill) Brooklyn building and remodel it with cutting edge technology and green features.  The developers, Rolf Grimstead + Emily Fisher of R&E Brooklyn, bought it and plan to make it New York's first American Lung Association Health House.

Green Features:
The interior will use IceStone recycled counters (C2C), salvaged wood or bamboo flooring, and Kirei board cabinets.  Finishes will be with low or no-VOC water-based poly (American Pride).  The house will be wired with solar energy via photovoltaic panels.  Also, there will be a solar-thermal and gas-fired system to heat and cool the place.  In addition, the developers will use the Health House criteria (regarding moisture + humidity control, energy efficiency, and air filtration + ventilation) to guide them in making the indoor air quality top notch.  This should be an interesting project to follow throughout 2007.

Extra Links:
93 Nevins/453 Pacific: 2 Eco-smart Townhouses [R&E Brooklyn]
Brownstoner Blog Post on the 2 Eco-smart Townhouses [Brownstoner]

Global Green USA: Top 20 No- or Low-Cost Green Building Strategies

One aspect of green building that gets overlooked is financial independence.  For instance, a commercial business may make an investment in solar power (provided incentives and rebates make it economically feasible) to stabilize electricity bills and hedge against future electricity cost increases.  Another example is the principle of waste reduction in green building.  Did you know that building green often costs the same or just a little bit more than standard code-built homes?  And did you know that even then, green homes will require less money going forward than standard code-built homes?  To that end, here are some affordable green building strategies (click this link to read more about each strategy):  Global Green's 20 Affordable Green Building Strategies:

1. Orient the Building to Maximize Natural Daylighting
2. Place Windows to Provide Good Natural Ventilation
3. Select a Light-colored Cool Roof
4. Provide overhangs on South-facing Windows (be careful of your hemisphere!)
5. Install Whole-House Fans or Ceiling Fans
6. Eliminate Air Conditioning
7. Provide Combined-Hydronic Heating
8. Install Fluorescent Lights with Electronic Ballasts
9. Install High R-value Insulation
10. Select Energy Star Appliances
11. Design Water-efficient Landscapes
12. Install Water-efficient Toilets + Fixtures
13. Use Permeable Paving Materials
14. Use 30-50% Flyash in Concrete
15. Use Engineered Wood for Headers, Joists, and Sheathing
16. Use Recycled-content Insulation, Drywall, and Carpet
17. Use Low- or No-VOC Paint
18. Use Formaldehyde-free or Fully Sealed Materials for Cabinets + Counters
19. Vent Rangehood to the Outside
20. Install Carbon Monoxide Detector

[Key: Energy, Water, Materials, Indoor Air Quality]  Now, some of these may only work for new construction or for renovation, etc., but this is a good starting point for going green, in an affordable way.  Keep in mind the geographic constraints--this isn't an exhaustive list for every location in the world.  Different locations present unique circumstances and opportunities can vary greatly.  Via Global Green.

LEED-H New Urban Home by David Baker + Partners at Blue Star Corner

I hate to post this on Saturday, because I'm afraid it won't get a large readership, but I wanted to talk about David Baker + Partners' (DBP) new design for a development called Blue Star Corner.  The design is called the New Urban Home.  The New Urban Home philosophy blends loft and condominium attitudes, with a modern feel that tends to build up--not out.  This philosophy was brought to the Blue Star Corner development to create a sustainable (LEED for Homes), modern, urban design for the historic Park Avenue District in the Bay Area.  All the appliances will be Energy Star, all the plumbing will be water efficient, and the site is located near mass transit.  Blue Star Corner is planned for completion in mid-2007. 

Green Features:
The developer, Holliday Development, and DBP hope to achieve LEED for Homes certification on this project.  Here's some of what they're going to do:  will use recycled and non-toxic building materials, non-endangered woods, galvanized metal, bamboo flooring, and environmentally-fabricated CaesarStone quartz countertops; will try to source materials locally as much as possible (keeps money in local economy + eliminates the transportation/gas premium); open spaces will feature sustainable landscaping by Conger Moss Guillard Landscape; appliances will be energy-efficient with Duravit, Kohler, and Bosch brands; and much more. 

Other Amenities:
Units will include also Ann Sacks bathtubs, Sub-zero + Jenn-Air refrigerators, Bisazza tiles, Benjamin Moore paint, in-unit iPod docking stations, and personal garages with fold-up work stations.  This is all going in with the general setup with a master bedroom, living room, kitchen, and flex room.  To add to that, homes will be unique--they won't all have identical features, colors, or design.  It's important to cater to individuality. 

Extra Links:
New Urban Home at Blue Star Corner [Generalized Case Study]
David Baker + Partners Provide Design for "Green" Amsterdam-Inspired Townhouses [MHN]

Tom Friedman Q+A Article: Land Use + Green Development Commentary

Buildings account for 36% of the US's total energy consumption, including 65% of its electricity use.  The debate over coal, renewable energy, wind energy, solar panels, etc., pretty much comes down to the fact that we (Americans) use a lot of electricity.  Well, a well-known green real estate consultant, Charles Lockwood, sat down with Tom Friedman to discuss his thoughts on everything green (article link - pdf).  Tom Friedman is a three-time Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for the New York Times and wrote the wildly popular book, The World Is Flat.  If you want to get your hands on the book, make sure to get the updated version.  Friedman has some interesting comments about green buildings and technology.  He talks about something he calls "Up, Not Out," and how green cities can attract younger workers.  He also wants to re-frame the debates on environmentalism.  Give the article a read and watch his video with Tim Russert of MSNBC.

The Green Quotient: Q+A Thomas L. Friedman [Charles Lockwood]

Shizen Urban Design Condominium: A Net Zero Energy Project

Every now and then, I find an innovative real estate development group that just knocks my socks off.  After living in Japan for 2 years, I love to hear anything about the place, so you can imagine how cool I think Sakura Urban Concepts is.  Sakura is Japanese for the "cherry blossom tree," which buds in early April and you can see blossoming trees all over Japan for about two weeks.  It's incredible to see.  This forward-thinking group is behind a new urban design building in Portland called Shizen, which happens to be Japanese for "nature."  Not only is Shizen going to be a net zero energy building, but it's going to have sophisticated design, sense of community, and sustainable lifestyle written all over it.  Be sure to check out Shizen's website!

Green Features:
This project is funded, in part, by a grant from Portland's Office of Sustainable Development (via funds from a Green Investment Fund partnership).  First, the site was home to a famous Portland Bakery, the Helen Bernhard Bakery, so Sakura purchased the property and had the house moved down the street.  The house was renovated and looks pretty good.  By moving the house, 200 tons of material was diverted from the landfill.  The condo will have a 23 kW photovoltaic array that generates roughly 1/3 of Shizen's annual electricity; a biodiesel fueled microturbine will generate the other 2/3 (and enough to heat domestic hot water and space heating); there will be radiant floors in entries and bathrooms; rain that falls on the roof will flow to a 25,000 gallon cistern under the parking level, and that water will be used for toilet and irrigation water; 60% of Shizen's energy savings will be through its high mass, well insulated envelope and high efficiency lights and appliances; double-glazed, argon-filled, triple coated low-e windows will allow light and block solar gain in the summer; and the roof will be a r-38 insulation. 

Site Specifics:
Shizen will be located on 1706 NE Schuyler (one block north of Broadway/NE 17th).  There will be 7 units, and construction starts in March 2007.  The total building will have about 15,500 square feet (so average of 2,200 square feet per residence?) and the land site is 7,500 square feet.  Not bad at all...Once you go green, you don't go back.

BuildingGreen's 2006 Top-10 Green Building Products + GreenSpec Directory

The fact of the matter is, if you're going to build green buildings, you gotta have green materials.  And green building is getting easier because demand is increasing and creating innovative green products to fit all varieties of projects.  There are different angles to take with a sustainable project and it's not all about energy efficiency.  You'll want to look at everything.  I like to think in terms of consumption.  What are you consuming and how much of it are you consuming?  Is the building water efficient?  What does it do with waste (such as recycling)?  Does waste equal food (C2C)?  Did you have to ship it across the world to procure it?  What's the indoor air quality of the building?  How does it look and feel?   Did you benefit the community by buying the materials, paying the laborers, or building the project? 

To make life a little easier, there's the GreenSpec Directory, which includes more than 2,100 green product listings.  It's a veritable idea bank ($89.90).  To give you a taste of what some of the products are, BuildingGreen announced the Top-10 Green Building Products during GreenBuild in November.  Here they are.  I've linked to the BuildingGreen product information and used "(company)" for the corporate website link.  BuildingGreen doesn't receive money from these companies for placing a product in the GreenSpec Directory, so the information is totally objective in that regard. 

• Polished Concrete System from RetroPlate (company)
• Underwater Standing Timber Salvage by Triton Logging (company)
• PaperStone Certified Composite Surface Material by Klip Tech Composites, Inc. (company)
• Varia + "100 Percent" Recycled-content Panel Products by 3Form, Inc. (company)
• Recycled-content Interior Molding by Timbron International (company)
• SageGlass Tintable Glazing by Sage Electrochromics (company)
• Water-efficient Showerhead with H20kinetic Technology by Delta (company)
• WeatherTRAK Smart Irrigation Controls by HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc. (company)
• Coolerado Cooler Advanced, Indirect Evaporative Air Conditioner by Coolerado, LLC (company)
• Renewable Energy Credits from Community Energy, Inc. (company)

If you have an experience with any of these products, feel free to drop a comment so all the readers can benefit.  Once you go green, you never go back!

Skyscraper Sunday: 1800 Larimer LEED Silver Office Tower (Denver)

Apparently, the mid-1980s was the last time a new high rise office building was built in Denver, Colorado.  We know what happened then and why skyscraper construction halted (hint: construction loans/S+L Crisis); knock on wood...S+L 2.0??  Recently, Westfield Development announced plans to build the most energy efficient high rise in downtown Denver, 1800 Larimer--actually, it's a $150 million, 22 story, 500,000 square foot, energy-efficient, proposed LEED Silver tower.  Westfield Development President Rich McClintock said, "if it is not a sustainable building, it is outdated."  I couldn't agree more. 

This LoDo area building was designed by Denver-based RNL Design.  Some of the features include the following:  subfloor air distribution system; 9-foot, 6-inch floor-to-ceiling windows; state-of-the-art health club for tenants; a half-acre terrace parklike environment 20 feet off the ground; tenant controlled temperature system; blue + gray glass facade; trees in the lobby; and a 30-foot high "wall of water" inside the lobby.  I'm excited that new construction is going green, but I will say that Denver is working hard to make the right choices.  This green building is, after all, only a small kog in the greater machine initiated by Denver's Mayor Hickenlooper called Greenprint Denver. 

I keep saying this, but the smartest cities are also the greenest:  San Francisco, Portland, Denver, Austin, Chicago, and a trailing Salt Lake City.  The human capital + brain power of these cities is really mind-boggling, so where are you going to live?  Via RMN. 

UPDATE:  According to the global votes of over 100,000 people, Mayor Hickenlooper was ranked #9 in a survey of best mayors in the world that have made long-lasting contributions to their cities.  Only one other US mayor made the list.

Green Economics: City of Phoenix Saving $600k/year Due to Energy-Efficiency Program

If you're new to CFLs, feel free to check out the Department of Energy's information page on them.  When compared to incandescents, CFLs last longer, use less energy, and emit less heat.  While you need to pick the right one depending on your lighting idiosyncrasies and bulbs need to be disposed of at a hazardous waste center (see your packaging), groups like One Billion Bulbs are trying to get the word out on the benefits of CFLs.  It's hard to calculate, but when energy is saved, the grid is called upon less and that's a tangible benefit to your bill and your city.  Cities that keep using more energy end up debating with large companies like TXU about the pragmatics of building 11 more coal plants to meet out-of-control demand for cheap energy.  There are alternatives...

There's an economic case for CFLs.  The City of Phoenix is saving about $600,000 a year after replacing traditional lighting with CFLs.  Mayor Phil Gordon said the city has replaced about 95% of the city's lights with energy-efficient alternatives (as part of a $1.2 million one-time investment) and is starting to see the rewards.  At $600,000 in savings per year, that's a 2 year payback on your investment.  This is smart business. 

Green Cartoon - "Isn't Nature Marvelous"

This cartoon comes from a very creative Japanese cartoonist, Professor Hiroshi Takatsuki (aka High Moon), who does some pretty thoughtful environmental work.  I'm not going to spoil it by telling you the all the tangents my mind took thinking about it, but I hope you enjoy...

I will be posting a little less frequently as I need to find a way to crunch out four graduate finals over the next two weeks.  Thanks for the patience!

BD+C White Paper: Green Building + The Bottom Line (2006)

"The 'New Reality' of Green Building from Environmental Cause to Financial Opportunity."  I wanted to put up a quick post regarding BD+C's new green building white paper--it's big-time informative, talking about green building in the context of office, retail, hotel, restaurant, residential, education, healthcare, and government buildings.  If you don't read anything else (it's a dense report of 64 pages, of which about 10-15 pages are for so called green sponsors), read the Executive Summary on page three to catch a drift about what's going on in the industry.  One issue that keeps popping up is the issue of whether green buildings cost more than code-built buildings.  For one thing, certification will cost some money (unless it's LEED-Platinum), but other than that, there's a small premium that an owner will pay.  But that's when you analyze the building on a first costs basis.  If you're looking at first costs + operating costs (which the industry is still trying to work out), green buildings can be pretty attractive.  With the possibility of higher occupancy rates, less tenant turnover, and less $$ on energy + water, green building is a phenomenon to be reckoned with.  Plus, green buildings try to source materials locally, so to the extent that this happens, $$ spent on materials stay in the cities you're trying to rebuild and develop.  There are lots of positives...

Building Design + Construction's Green Building White Paper 2006 [registration required]

ABC's Extreme Makeover: Pauni Family + Making Homes Sustainable

Recently I blogged about the Happy New House by Neil Denari, and the concept that home design has a lot do with our personalities--even our psychological well-being.  After reading below, I want to hear what you think, so feel free to drop a quick comment if you have the time. 

So last night I was watching ABC's  Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and I was saddened by the Pauni Family's loss of their father.  They are a Tongan family that came to the US in search of many things, among those, the American Dream and the benefits of economic freedom, religious freedom, educational opportunities, etc.  The father Danny Pauni died of a heart attack, leaving behind a spirited wife and eight children.  They had no insurance policy and were struggling to keep the house, but the house wasn't in much condition to want to keep...some kids didn't have beds, the walls and foundation were molding...needless to say, the home wasn't in any condition to sustain eight children.  Which leads to my thoughts:

I like Extreme Makeover Home Edition.  I think it is noble, uplifting programming.  While not all the houses are built green per se, many of the homes are built with indoor air quality considerations supreme.  That said, the original Pauni home was in terrible condition, but the family was extremely upbeat and happy.  So I started thinking...maybe, people have an attitude that is their default.  They are happy or grumpy or whatever in between by default.  And depending on life's everchanging circumstances, our default level adjusts in varying degrees.  With a run down home, the Pauni Family didn't get too down about it because they are happy people by default, but it sure made for tough times.  When the new, rebuilt home came around, they went crazy with joy.  They were so gracious and warm...very thankful.  And I ended the episode thinking:  "we could all learn to be like the Pauni Family by default."  Happiness by default is sustaining on an emotional level...it keeps you going when things don't go right, but living spaces don't define an emotional level, at least at the very minimum.  Living spaces influence emotions, but it's up to us to determine where that influence starts. 

So let me know what you think about how our living spaces define emotional, psychological, or spiritual sustainability.  I'm interested in reading some of your responses.

Madison Wisconsin's Capitol West Development Goes Modern + Reuses/Deconstructs +94%

It seems like cities all over the United States are jumping into the green building fray--it's an exciting time to witness the radical transformation of the construction industry.  In Madison, Wisconsin, there's a neighborhood development called Capitol West.  The project is a $110 million, mixed-use development in the center of Madison, occupying an entire city block bounded by West Washington Avenue, South Henry, West Main + South Broom Street.  The development will include a diversity of housing types, shopping spaces, + urban parks--all clean, contemporary + modern. 

This urban redevelopment will include about 375-400 townhomes, condominiums, and lofts + penthouses.  The first phase (173 condos + 10,000 sf of retail) of condominium homes will range in size from 650-3,000 square feet, with prices ranging from $170,000-$900,000.  I was really surprised by the diversity of architecture and offerings for this neighborhood:  Capitol Court Townhomes, Washington Rowhouses, 309 West Washington (10 floors), Main Street Townhomes, + Broom Street Lofts.  This looks really exciting. 

What's really impressive is the steps the developer, The Alexander Company, took to make sure this development didn't place undue burden on the city's resources.  It retained Madison Environmental Group to head up their reuse/deconstruction phase.  The reuse phase diverted 66 tons of material from the landfill via donations, walk-throughs, and public sale events.  The deconstruction phase yielded 94.86% of recycled material, totaling 24,500 tons!  Granted deconstruction can take more time, but it's a lot better on the community, environment, and neighborhood.  In total, 59,536 cubic yards of material was diverted from the landfill via reuse and deconstruction efforts--that's 19,772 Ford F-150s full of waste lined up back-to-back stretching 65 miles.  Nice job Capitol West.

No word yet as to whether any of the individual projects will go after LEED, but the architects are designing with the environment in mind.  Lots of natural light, air + ventilation design with incredible views, green spaces, and roof gardens.  Thanks for the tip Stephen Schenkenberg. 

The PowerCost Monitor by Blue Line Innovations

When I lived in Japan, I was always feeling the pinch of electricity bills, but it wasn't because of overconsumption.  In Japan, the electricity meter is near the front door (see above picture), so I was always opening the door to see how fast the meter was spinning.  After looking at the meter, I'd walk around and unplug things that didn't need to be plugged in.  The problem is, in the US, there's no easy access to the meter, especially in the traditional single-family home.  And this is why a new product by Blue Line Innovations is helping electricity customers use an average of 6.5% less electricity (typical savings of 5-20% electricity).  The product is called the PowerCost Monitor and can be purchased online. 

The PowerCost Monitor is a real time, direct-feedback device that tells you home much electricity you are using and how much that electricity is costing you.  There are two pieces:  (1) a low-power infrared sensor unit that reads the meter (disk or digital) and transmits usage information to the display unit; and (2) the display unit (pictured right) that shows you the cost of energy, how much you've used, etc.  A large utility provider in Canada, Hydro One, purchased 30,000 units to pass on to its customers.  50 other utilities are lining up for the technology.  At $150 for the entire setup, I think the device is a great idea for residential developers--anyone can install the sensor unit and the display unit will be helpful for new homeowners that are trying to keep the bills down.  This is such a simple, yet effective solution to make consumption conspicuous.  Japan Door Picture via Flickr. 

Central Oregon's First LEED-H Certified Residential Project: Newport District Modern House Project by Abacus GC

Have you ever been to Bend, Oregon?  Bend is smack dab in the middle of the state, it's Central Oregon, and it's beautiful.  Central Oregon is not to be confused with the rainy, western part of the state.  Bend is in close proximity to some of the best golfing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, and skiing locations in the world, which is why lots of Californians either relocate or have a vacation home in the area.  And real estate isn't cheap, either (speaking from a Texas frame of mind).  But in Bend, you have an innovative, forward-thinking real estate company, Abacus GC, that has just received the first LEED-H (LEED for Homes) certification in Central Oregon for its Newport District Modern House Project.  It's also Earth Advantage certified and will save about 54% more in energy consumption than a standard code-built home. 

This project (corner of NW 12th Street + Newport Avenue) includes 5 green, modern, luxurious homes, scheduled for completion in December 2006.  Each lot is 3,000 square feet, and each home is 2,000 square feet (prices starting at roughly $850k).  Here are some of the green features:  cool metal roof that reflects UV radiation and keeps the house cool in the summer; green roof trellises; xeriscaped lawns with drought tolerant and local plants (require less water and maintenance); Sierra Pacific windows made from timber that meets the Sustainable Forestry Initiative requirements; grid-tied solar energy system (2 kilowatt) from photovoltaic panels that run backwards; extensive use of FSC-certified lumber; blown in formaldehyde-free insulation (exterior walls, R-23; attic, R-50!) for energy-efficiency, sound control, and improved indoor air quality; lightweight all-aluminum garage doors that are maintenance free and recyclable; hydronic radiant floor heating systems powered by a 96% energy-efficient boiler; tons of strategically placed windows to optimize natural light and shade; locally harvested Madrone wood for the stairs and kitchen counter tops; Caroma dual-flush toilets that save up to 80% of annual water usage; 80% energy-efficient Ribbon fireplace by Spark Modern Fires (with the enclosure made of Eco-Terr recycled tiles); and Green Seal-certified, zero-VOC YOLO Colorhouse primer and paints.  These are just some of the many green features of the five homes in the Newport District Modern House Project. 

In addition to the green features, these homes are stylish:  top of the line hardware (Kohler, Grohe, Blum, Sub-Zero, etc.), 9-foot ceilings, Category-5 Ethernet cable installed, etc.  We're are talking about luxury everything, in an extreme, environmentally-friendly orchestration.  The Newport District Modern House Project is everything that Jetson Green espouses:  Modern + Green + Healthy Living.  But specifically, these homes help an owner achieve water and energy independence, which is valuable in a world where energy prices will continue to rise and water will continue to become more scarce.  I really like the trajectory of this company and the projects they have in the pipeline--I'm sure this won't be the last abacus GC project on Jetson Green. 

Extra Links:
Abacus Take Lead on LEED-H Certification [Press Release]
Earth Advantage Features [pdf]
Abacus GC Builds Modern Dwellings [Cascade Business News - pdf]

San Francisco Mayor Newsom + LetsGreenThisCity Dot Com

If you've watched the videos on my right sidebar, then you've heard San Francisco Mayor Newsom talk.  He's a big time supporter of going green and doing it for all sorts of reasons:  it's good business, good living, good for the city.  Right now, according to SustainLane, San Francisco is the #2 greenest city in the United States.  Well, SF is putting on a major campaign to be the greenest city in the United States and there's a new green website to support the cause.  www.letsgreenthiscity.com.  Simultaneous to the roll-out of the website, letsgreenthiscity placed a total of nine couches throughout the city in various places (City Hall, Alamo Square, Ferry Building, Justin Herman Plaza, in the Castro, etc.).  People, including Mayor Newsom, were provided the opportunity to get their picture taken on the couch, have it printed with soy-based ink, and frame it in recycled cardboard.  The entire deal is being sponsored by Pacific Gas + Electric Company (PG+E) and ReadyMade Magazine.  Oh yeah, and guess what, yours truly is a content partner for the website (unfortunately, my content says it's posted by "anonymous").  Exciting times! 

Green Office: C2C Certified Steelcase Answer® Workstation

Answer.  Thoughtfully flexible.  It's about time for a new installment to the Green Office segment.  So far, I've mentioned the Leap + Think chairs, the Liege Desk, and office supplies from The Green Office.  Enter:  the MBDC Silver Cradle to Cradle Certified, GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified Steelcase Answer®.  The Steelcase Answer panel workstation is the first C2C Certified powered workstation for the contract furniture industry.  First, Answer uses responsible materials.  Workstation components consist of panels, wood work surfaces, overhead storage and floor-based storage.  There is absolutely no PVC used in its construction.  Second, Cradle to Cradle certification requires product design that contemplates what happens when the product is not longer useful for its intended purpose.  There's a focus on being able to recycle or safely compost the materials.  Adhesives are eliminated, where possible, and recyclable parts are clearly marked.  This is a big deal considering Answer is one of the best selling systems products in the world.  I bet you could get the Answer workstation penciled into your tenant improvements agreement, right?  Via PRNewswire.

Nation's First Multi-Unit LEED-Certified Building: The Contemporary 53 Standish Street (Cambridge, MA)

The news of new, green buildings just doesn't stop.  Today's green project, aka 53 Standish Street, is the first LEED-H Certified (for homes) project in Massachusetts and the first multi-unit building (up to 4 units) in the country that meets USGBC standards for sustainable design and construction.  In addition, it was Energy Star Certified due to receiving a 93.3 Home Energy Rating Score (100 point scale) for incorporating energy saving products and technologies.  It was designed by Tony Butler of AB Architects and the general contractor was Aedi Construction LLC.  53 Standish Street is in close proximity to public transportation and shops, and I think some neat learning points can be found in how the place was constructed and what was used.  It's not unlikely that developers and architects around the country could look at this project (and many others mentioned in this blog) and start to apply the concepts on a going forward basis.  Once I get a RE Fund together, you better believe I will. 

Green Features:
The building has 3, two-bedroom units.  Units have the following:  low-e argon windows; high efficiency lighting fixtures; compact fluorescent bulbs; high density, recycled cellulose insulation; energy efficient, instantaneous water heaters; programmable thermostats; high efficiency gas furnaces + AC with mechanical ventilation; low VOC paint; recycled fiber carpet; bamboo flooring + 90% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood content moldings in the entire building.  The building was wired for future solar panel use and the necessary approvals were obtained.  Via PRNewswire.

 

LEED-H Prototype Heather's Home: Modern, Green + Affordable

DFW builder Don Ferrier's daughter wanted an affordable, green home, so they retained the best, local green architect, Gary Olp of GGOArchitects, to get the job done.  The result is Heather's Home, which has its own website at www.heathershome.info.  What's interesting about this home is that it's economically pragmatic, but it looks goods--it's proof that a modern, green home can be relatively affordable.  We're talking about a 2,038 square-foot home in the price range of about $117 per square foot ($230,000).  After getting the home design, she had to wait two months due to materials shortages, but the home took four months to build after that.  The monthly home heating and cooling bill averages $20-30 month.  That's amazing, especially in Texas. 

Green Features:
There's a rainwater collection system connected to a 3,000-gallon holding tank, which is used for irrigation and toilet water.  Toilets are low flush, of course.  She landscaped with drought-tolerant, native Texas plants, to conserve water.  She didn't install a full blown solar system (costs about $30,000), but she did install enough solar panels to power the tankless water heater (also saves water).  The home design called for Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) to create a more energy-efficient, tight building envelope.  For heating and AC, the builder installed a Daikin HVAC system that runs at 20 SEER.  The HVAC system price tag was $5,500, which is cheaper than a geothermal heat pump and about 90% as efficient.  Of course, low-VOC paints and stains were used throughout.  Lights and appliances are energy star. 

The stairs are bamboo and some of the floors are stained concrete.  The kitchen island surface is a grenadine Formica (Green Guard certified) and the cabinets were created from regionally produced ash, treated with a low VOC stain.  You'll notice the 33 glass block windows on the northerly wall, which invite natural lighting without diminishing interior privacy.  There's a solar tube in the closet for natural lighting.  In the rooms with carpet, it is PET (polyethylene terephthalate) carpet, which is created from reclaimed polyester resins of two-liter soda bottles and and other plastic containers.  Some of the other carpet is InterFLOR modular carpet, made from corn husks.  The list of green features goes on and on!  You can go to this link to find the source of all the products used in this home. 

GreenBuild International Conference + Expo - November 15-17, 2006 (Denver, CO)

Sustainable building for 2006 had to be a watershed year, and this conference looks to be an exciting event.  Everytime you see "LEED" in my blog, I'm talking about the professional, responsible embodiment of green buildings--smart, efficient, and energy independent.  Starting tomorrow, the USGBC's annual conference begins; here's what's in store for the next 3 days:  +700 exhibitor booths, LEED workshops, green building tours, powerful keynote speakers, Master Speakers Series, USGBC Leadership Awards, etc.  The conference will be an idea-rich feast for ideas on site location + development, water use, energy efficiency, materials + selection, indoor environmental quality, biophelia, health + productivity, financing, etc.  I'd love to be there, but I just can't afford the investment at this time, but the conference will be full of architects, building owners, code officials, contractors, developers, educators, engineers, facility managers, financial service providers, governmental agencies, green power providers, home builders, interior designers, landscape architects, nonprofit organizations, product manufacturers, schools + universities, students, urban planners, utility providers, and media. 

Keynote speakers include Bill McDonough, Jeffrey Sachs, and David Suzuki.  I also have links to the Master Speaker Series, Educational Sessions, Special Events, Attendee Schedule, FAQs, and Exhibitors. 

It's not too late to go, from what I understand...just hop a SWA flight and bill it to the company.  Seriously, if you're somewhat curious about green building, this is the event to go to.  If you're thinking about adopting a little green to improve your products offering, go and get some ideas.  If you can't go, last year, there was an inspirational opening session with Ray Anderson, Janine Benyus, and Paul Hawken, which is now available on DVD for $10.  The DVD is called "Strategies for Sustaining the Sustainable Building Movement."  You can order via here.  A portion of proceeds go to the Biomimicry Guild. 

Address:
The Colorado Convention Center
700 14th Street, Denver, CO 80202
Getting To the Convention Center

Skyscraper Sunday: Albanese Organization's Luxury, Mixed-Use Tower Seeking Platinum LEED

Albanese Organization (AO) is a great example of an interesting phenomenon:  once you go green, you don't go back.  AO is the forward-thinking real estate firm behind two other green buildings, The Solaire and The Verdisian.  Their specialty is sustainable and high performance buildings.  They've partnered with Starwood Capital Group Global LLC for their third green project, which has yet to be named, located at 70 Little West Street, surrounded by Battery Place, Little West Street, Second Place, and Third Place.  The $310 million, 33-story project will have 152 condominium units and retail space on the first floor.  Slated for occupation in 2008, the design architect is Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects; the building architect is Schuman, Lichtenstein, Claman & Efron; the interior design is by Stedila Design Inc.; and the general contractor is Turner Construction. 

The glass and terracotta tower will have a curved facade to create river views from all four corners of the building.  Like most modern buildings, this building will include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a pool, rooftop gardens, dining area, children's playroom, parking garage (not always a given in NYC), and a lounge room with a fireplace. 

Green Features:
I've heard rumors that some LEED buyers (not necessarily this one) are looking for the LEED label and point shopping around the energy efficient requirements--why do that?  The point is, buildings need to be grid-independent and levered less to energy price fluctuations.  By point shopping, you're losing money by purchasing a hollow certificate (not to mention losing valuable environmental benefits).

Anyway, this building will be 35% more energy efficient than standard code buildings; 5% of the energy load will be provided by building-integrated solar panels and 35% of the building's energy will be provided by wind generation.  Geothermal systems will provide heating/cooling for part of the building.  Low or no-VOC materials will be used throughout.  There will be a high efficiency air filtration system to optimize indoor air quality ("IAC").  Individual residences will have year-round climate control via digital thermostat that controls a four-pipe fan coil system.  A black water treatment plant will recycle bathroom and kitchen water to resupply toilets and supply make-up water for the HVAC system cooling tower.  10,000 gallons of water will be harvested and used to irrigate the rooftop garden, which provides a layer of insulation for the building.  See also Multihousing News.

Green Cartoon - "Too Tired for Irony" by Tom Toles

It's Saturday night and I wanted to jump into the weekend with a cartoon that I noticed on the Building Seattle Green blog.  It made me laugh, but unfortunately, the humor belies a sad reality.  Consider this:  In what way do we encourage greater reliance on oil (through transportation) by land use policies that further growth in the suburbs?  In what way do we encourage building in suburbs by having greater access to cheap gas and enormous, cool vehicles?  Maybe I'm overthinking this, but these issues are more inter-related that one would otherwise think.  Enjoy the weekend!  Tom Toles Comic Archive at Washington Post.  Too Tired for Irony, April 14, 2006. 

Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of Sustainability + Sustainable Business Education

By CSO, I mean Chief Sustainability Officer and I'm serious.  I'm not one for more layers of bureaucracy and extra non-productive meetings, but this is something that businesses should consider.  After reading this short post, you'll know why I think businesses should create the position, but you decide and let me know what you think.  Way back in June, NYC Mayor Bloomberg announced the creation of an "Office of Sustainability," to explore ways to reduce carbon emissions.  Similarly, I read a recent article in Dallas Business Journal regarding Plano's (Texas) decision to create a new position and hire Nancy Nevil as the City's Director of Sustainability and Environmental Services.  Why create a director-level position?  So there could be a point person, an accountable person.  She gets $109,288 a year, and one of her responsibilities is educating the city and its 2,200 employees about ways to reduce consumption of energy and materials.  I'm sure many other cities are doing similar things--Plano decided to do this after visiting Portland and studying their green initiatives. 

Company Position?
If your company is like most, you have the perfunctory recycle bin, but likely you still consume enormous amounts of paper, right?  How does your company manage lights when no one is around?  What's the company's recommended setting for computers when you leave work for the day or weekend?  Does the company incentivize carpooling?  Is there a place where bikers can store their clothing and equipment during work, or change?  Generally, where could your company be environmentally conscious and see results on the bottom line (cut expenses)?  Where could your company change its mix or products and services to be more sustainable and profitable?  These queries probably don't do justice to the value a company could realize by having a specific position for sustainability and environmental issues.  This is innovation!  Think hard about whether your company could benefit from having a CSO.

My Experience and Opinion:
I'm an MBA student and noticed that sustainability courses are catching on in some forward-thinking programs (i.e., Presidio, Green MBA, Stanford, etc.).  So I wanted to find a professor and do some cutting-edge, sustainability research for MBA-level credit because we don't have any courses on the subject.  Guess what?  I can't find a soul that's interested in the research.  Maybe I haven't found the right person, but I haven't gotten so much as a response from the department strategy chair.  Why?  Sustainability isn't on the business person's radar.  Why?  I can't figure it out.  These are the surest, noblest money-making opportunities of our time. 

My Plan:
So, I'm writing an outline for an MBA-level course called "Sustainable Strategy, Business, and Entrepreneurship," and I'm going to write the lesson plans, assignments, and exams.  When I graduate, I'm going to pitch the course to MBA schools and teach adjunct-style (still want to work in business during day).  This is a topic that needs to be on our radars.  Image.

Modern + Green Gaia Napa Valley Hotel - LEED Gold

There's just one thing that I can't figure out: why aren't more hotels going green?  Recently, I blogged about Starwood Hotels creating a luxury, green hotel brand (and there's also the LEED-certified Orchard Garden), but why aren't all the other hotels going green?  I have two thoughts:  (1) post-9/11, hotels tanked and lost a lot of money, which they've really started to regain from 2004 until now...they're busy making money and don't want to shut the place down with expensive renovations; (2) the split between ownership and management leaves a decision making gap that prevents the hotel owner from undergoing large capital improvements; or (3) hotel owners are marketing their portfolios and green (the non-monetary kind) is the last thing on their minds.  But if you ask me, the hotel industry is so levered to energy costs that it's the only way to go.  Looks like Gaia Napa Valley Hotel agrees with me. 

Gaia is chasing LEED Gold (couldn't find it in the USGBC certification or registration directory), which is the second highest tier in the green building rating system.  Here are some of its green features:  chemical-free landscaping; energy-efficient heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system using 15% less energy; various water conservation features; solar panels; zero-chlorofluorocarbon cooling system; 100% new growth-certified wood; specialty zero energy lighting throughout the hotel and public areas; and low emission paints and adhesives. 

The hotel incorporates extensive use of Solatubes.  These are tubular skylights that capture sunlight from the roof and direct it into the interior space through a diffusion shaft.  Imagine a periscope, except that it filters in light, not images.

Another thing I'd like to point out, is that this hotel is modern + green.  Innovation has advanced to the point that green looks good.  Plus, if you look at the first costs and the operating costs, in comparison to a non-green building, you're getting a great deal, so it's economic too.  Really, there's not other way to go, especially in the hotel industry!

What is LEED; How Does LEED Relate to Green Building; Why Do I Care?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design; it's a consensus-based standard for various types of buildings, such as new construction, existing buildings, building interiors, residential homes, and entire neighborhood developments.  One reason for LEED and the US Green Building Council is to eliminate the confusion regarding what a "green" building is.  Built into the standards are various levels, or shades of green.  I found this slide show at the USGBC's website and wanted to share it with the Jetson Green readers.

Why?  Application:
You don't need to be an architect or large design firm to see how LEED is important.  If you're a lawyer, and you have a developer client friend, you can say to that person, "Hey, have you thought about getting that project done LEED?"  Or if you're a budding developer, you can go to the design firm and say, "Hey, I want this thing done LEED, and I know it can be done without too much of a price premium...are you the firm for me?"   No matter what your position is, you may have the occasion to tell a decision maker that they ought to consider LEED/green building; that decision maker will be grateful that you were in the know. 

LEED-Life + Green Building Information from David Gottfried

The USGBC is a concensus-based organization that works to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated.  It's behind the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system, which is a national benchmark for energy-efficient, green buildings.  It's important to be congnizant of the fact that LEED buildings can come in different shades of green, but even the lowest level, or "Certified" buildings, are environmental leaders.  David Gottfried is the founder of the USGBC and the World Green Building Council.  His career began as a successful real estate developer in Washington D.C., and he had a green epiphany while working on the Environmental Defense Fund's Washington office.  His transformation from the developer to the green developer is the primary story of his memoir "Greed to Green."  I read an article about Gottfried and thought I would share some of his notable quotes.

1. Green Yourself First - "the key to the green-building movement is not LEED or technology; it's people.  If we're going to green this world we have to green ourselves, and we can't lose sight of that."
2. Watch Al Gore's Movie - "wake up to the fact that climate change is real and the biggest challenge facing humanity in the short term."
3. Green Buildings Are A Solution - "buildings consume 70% of the electricity in the US.  That's an environmental argument, but from a financial basis green buildings make more money, save expenses and have a higher value." 
4. Get Smart About Your Buildings - "your assets will be devalued if they're energy hogs, water inefficient, or toxic inside." 
5. Green Buildings Are Green Opportunities - "this is about economics.  The fastest-growing sector of the building industry, which is a $3 trillion industry globally, is green building." 

The article also mentioned Gottfried's personal green standard, which he developed called the "Life Balance Sheet" or "Leed-life."  It's a 100-point system with Certified at 60, Silver at 70, Gold at 80, and Platinum at 90+.  In the beginning, he only scored a 53, but now he fluctuates between 70 and 84, depending on a variety of factors.  I couldn't find the standard online, so I think it is in his book (if only Amazon had a copy!).  Good luck, I hope we can all live Platinum LEED-life lives!

Extra Links:
Igniting the Spark by Christina Koch [PDF - Eco-structure]

Top Sustainable Cities: Portland + San Francisco, the Eco-Innovators

There are cities and leaders in the US that are taking bold steps to change public perception of green principles, and I wanted to share their words and vision with you.  I've included a new section on my right sidebar for some informative, watershed videos.  I use the word watershed because future generations will respect these leaders for their foresight, they will be heros.  Are you one of these leaders?  If you're a CEO, can you count yourself among the lonely ranks of eco-warriors like Ray Anderson, Jeff Immelt, and Lee Scott?  If you're a mayor, can you count yourself among the growing ranks of eco-leaders like Gavin Newsom, Tom Potter, Mufi Hannemann, Greg Nickels, and Will Wynn?  If you're not a mayor or CEO, are you an eco-leader in the world that you live in? 

There's a video on the right with Tom Friedman speaking.  You'll know him from the bestselling book, The World is Flat.  He makes some critical points, but one of the most important points is that the chase for sustainability will create money-making, business opportunities for innovation in the 21st century:  opportunities that the US is currently abdicating to China.  Do we want to shift our middle east energy dependence by becoming dependent on China for renewable energy technologies?

So SustainLane released its yearly Top 50 US Cities, which is a report card on urban sustainability.  I was surprised to find Dallas at #24; one thing that holds us back is our addiction to cars--I don't see how that will change without 10-30 years of persistent city planning + changing, considering how the city is currently laid out.  That's okay, however, the rankings are there to get us to study other cities and make positive changes.  You can read about each city at SustainLane.  I encourage you to watch the video on #1 Portland (urban transportation and LEED building superstar) and #2 San Francisco (recycling superstar). 

Skyscraper Sunday: LEED-Certified Maple Leaf Square in Toronto

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Limited (privately-held corporation with ownership of Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Marlies Hockey Club, Air Canada Centre, and Leafs TV + Raptors NBA TV) is behind an innovative, forward-looking project development called Maple Leaf Square.  Being inspired by the mixed-use projects developing around sports franchise centers such as Dallas and Miami, the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Corporation will be unique in one significant aspect:  it's green, LEED-certified, that is.  The project, designed by KPMB and Page + Steele, contains two aspiring towers (54 + 50 floors) built on top of a seven story podium, all including the following:  900 residential condominiums, boutique hotel with about 170 rooms, 6,000 square foot daycare, over 200,000 square feet of office space , indoor/outdoor swimming pools, fitness facilities, and high-technology restaurants, sports bars, and retail stores.  It's the quintessential multi-use development of the future, blending sports, entertainment, living, vacationing, night life, and work. 

Green Features:
In addition to being one of the most technologically advanced building structures in the world, the project contains some important green features (note, technology also can make a building green):  green roof, energy-efficient appliances in every suite, Enwave (low cost, energy efficient supplier of heating, cooling, and domestic hot water supply), individual storage/bicycle lockers, and close proximity to Toronto's PATH system.  Technologically, the building will use RFID door locks and Intelligent Building Technology (visit the website for a demonstration).

The project has been welcomed with open arms by the public; reports vary, but the Residences of Maple Leaf Square are reportedly 95% sold already.  Talk about unmet demand for a modern, green structure!  Available residences range in size from 400 - 2,100 square feet and price from $200,000 - $1,400,000.  North Tower opens in October 2009 and South Tower in March 2010.  Found by EarthChangeII.

Container Architecture: DeMaria Design + The Pirkl's Home Video

[Total Time: 1:57 minutes] If you've ever been to a port terminal, you've seen the mass quantities of shipping containers used to transport goods all over the world.  With the trade imbalance--US importing more than exporting, the containers that aren't returned to their origin waste away here in the US.  But there are a few creative architects such as Adam Kalkin, Jennifer Siegal, and Peter DeMaria, who are using these containers as the basic structure for custom built homes.  The fact is, materials such as steel and wood cost big-time money and perpetually increase in price due to world demand; according to the video, Anna + Sven Pirkl are getting their 3,500 square foot (!) home built at $125 square foot (a pittance for that locality's custom build price that ballparks at $250 square foot).  The LA Times wrote an article about what the family is going to do with the home (think:  zip line + climbing wall). 

The architect, DeMaria Design, is innovatively sourcing the Pirkl's project materials.  Because they are using folding airplane hangar doors, both doors that usually cost $35,000 each, will cost half that price.  For insulation, DeMaria used NASA-developed ceramic coating insulation, which was sprayed on with a coat that is slightly thicker than a credit card.  They're even going saw the top off a container, put it in the ground, and use that for the basis of their backyard pool! 

London's Innovative Container City Video + Business Plan Question

[Total Time: 5:06 minutes] I found this informative, richly entrepreneurial video on Container City, which is a container-based urban development in London.  Here in the US, we have some work to do, to get to the point that we support this variety of innovative development.  Demand for a place to rent has been through the roof, so they added another level of container modules to rent out a few more funky flats.  The website is at the following link:  Container City. 

BUSINES PLAN QUESTIONS: 
I'm writing a business plan based on a container based retail enterprise.  If you have experience working with these containers, could you email me with information on the costs of acquiring a container (including transportation, rehab, + wiring for use)?  Any other information and experience that you may have with these containers is welcome!  Entrepreneurial architects, your expertise is demanded!!!

Wind Power Cards Available at Whole Foods Market

I first heard that Whole Foods was going to be selling a Wind Power Card ($15 family - 750 kWh + $5 individual - 250 kWh) from eco-entrepreneur Shea, a co-founder of Renewable Choice Energy (the provider of the Wind Power Card).  What did I do?  I went a bought a $15 card to offset my blog.  I love Typepad, but they determine my hosting situation and I can't change that, so I wanted to offset my blog's impact.  I'm not sure how long this will last, but that's okay because I'll find out eventually.  The big question is, however:  Should you buy a card?  The bloggers at boingboing equivocated, but everyone else in the country seems to think it's a good thing.  I'll explain what I know, but I hope you'll continue to research the issue of offsets and wind energy credits, if you have an interest. 

First, if you want to power your home with renewable energy, you can do a few things:  green build your home, install solar panels, put a wind turbine in your backyard, use energy-efficient appliances, etc.  After you reduce your own reliance on the grid in these ways (aka, minimize your own environmental footprint), you have a few more options:  (1) you could buy electricity from an eco-conscious company, like Green Mountain Energy, that feeds clean energy into the distribution grids, or (2) you could buy electricity from your regular company and purchase renewable energy credits in amounts that offset your energy usage.  There are slight differences with each choice.  Importantly, whenever energy producers create energy, it is routed into the regional/national grid, and that grid distributes the power to individual homes.  As a result, the energy grid conducts various types of energy such as coal (primarily), solar, wind, water, biomass, natural gas, geothermal, etc.  Depending on your location, you will receive a concoction of energy from all these types of sources, but the national average concoction = Coal - 52%, Nuclear - 20%, Natural Gas - 16%, Large Hydroelectric - 7%, Oil - 3%, and Renewables - 2%. 

With wind energy credits, and more particularly, the Wind Power Card, you're not reducing or affecting the electricity bill that comes in the mail each month.  What you do is ensure that the electricity you use is replaced onto the national power grid with wind energy.  Every time you buy renewable energy credits, less non-renewable energy is fed into the grid.  This concept is hard to grock, but it's true.  Think of this, though:  you're paying a premium, but if you have money to do this, why not support clean energy generation and pay for renewable energy credits?  We can't neglect the negative externalities (those that aren't reflective in pricing) of dirty energy such as coal.  Our energy decision will increasingly impact the way we live in the future. 

Extra Links:
A Closer Look at Whole Foods Wind Power Card Displays [Sustainablog]
Boing Boing Mischaracterizes Wind Credits, WF Wind Cards [Sustainablog]
Support for Wind Power Picking Up Speed [Nurenberg - CNN]
American Wind Energy Association on Renewable Energy Credits [AWEA.org]
Renewable Energy Credits + Offsets Certification [Texas PUCT]

Green Office: Get Supplied @ The Green Office

Officially, this is the third post in a mini-segment here at Jetson Green called the "Green Office."  First I talked about getting set up with a Think chair, and then I mentioned the Liege Desk.  What next?  How about the thing you use most in the office?  Your supplies.  There's a great resource for finding sustainable supplies at the comprehensive www.thegreenoffice.com.  The Green Office is "an online retailer of recycled, environmentally friendly, and sustainable business products, school supplies, and paper."  With regard to green products, it really is the most complete source for supplies (paper, envelopes, calendars, binders, folders, ink, toner, etc.), technology (fax, printer, shredder, telephone, etc.), furniture (shelving, storage, tables, etc.), janitorial supplies (waste containers, cleaning supplies, light bulbs, etc.), and breakroom supplies (cups, plates, etc.). 

Established in 2005 by Alex Szabo, The Green Office itself is committed to setting an example as a sustainable business.  Feel free to skip over to EcoTalk for a 7:50 minute interview with Szabo.  Originally a sustainability consultant, he's quite the eco-entrepreneur.  In his interview, he talks about how he came upon the idea of starting this business and what he does to continually update the Green Office catalog with nascent product offerings.  See you next time. 

Trend Analysis: When Remodeling, Green > Luxury

Whether you're a real estate developer, owner, seller, broker, agent, speculator, investor, enthusiast, or whatever, there's a trend that is important to grasp.  I read news of a survey that illustrates the trend.  Here's what it said:  Over 50% of homeowners would like to make improvements to their homes and given a choice of improvements, homeowners would opt for the eco-friendly improvements.  Even when luxury upgrades are available.  This was the scenario in a survey performed by Wells Fargo:  Select among nine home improvement choices, if you were given $50,000: 

1. 24% Nation/24% West Coast = Solar panels, energy-efficient windows + appliances
2. 12% Nation/14% West Coast = Gourmet kitchen
3. 11% Nation/11% West Coast = Luxury bedroom suite or master bathroom

Basically, when it comes to remodeling, everyone is taking the green road.  These statistics show what features people will come to demand in their homes and properties.  Application?  If you're a developer, go for the energy-efficient windows, stock the place with the right appliances, and get each home solar ready.  If you're a homeowner, go green before you go luxury.  Via residential architect.  Image via www.greenbuilding.com. 

Green Prefab: The Vital House by Ulterior Mode

If you've heard of the Husten-Haskin house (mentioned in NYTimes + SF Chronicle), then you've heard of the architect behind the the Vital House prefab:  Erin Vali of Ulterior Mode.  The Vital House is designed to be both economical (1,500 sq-ft. at $300,000) and eco-friendly.  Practically speaking, the firm is Brooklyn-based, so this prefab design will serve the east coast, at least in the near short-term, but this four-bedroom model was designed to adapt to virtually any location.  The prefab utilizes solar-power and passive heating during the winter (with double-height walls on the south + east orientation).  It also has water-filled tanks placed on the south + east spaces, which absorb radiant energy and distribute it through the house.  Interestingly, construction is raised slightly off the ground, which accommodates both flat and sloped land sites.  Another benefit of raised construction is that wind + air can cool the home.  Some of the other specifics on the Vital House are still in flux, but I think this is a good start.

Entrepreneurial New Resource Bank + Green Lending Residential Solar Systems

Sustainable business entrepreneurship requires sophisticated financiers, so I wanted to let the Jetson Green readers know about an innovative, newly-founded banking institution called "New Resource Bank."  They are "financing sustainable resources in [their] community."  The bank was started by a group of entrepreneurs with expertise in the banking industry, and their start-up story is revealing:  240 founding shareholders subscribed to $24.75 M of the bank's stock offering, and the community backed it as well bringing the initial subscription amount to $35 M--that's a 60% over-subscription.  This made it one of the largest initial capitalizations for a start-up bank in Northern California.  Talk about suppressed demand for sustainably-minded banking institutions and investments!

They are all about green.  The bricks + mortar bank was certified LEED-CI Gold.  Plus, they announced an alliance with SunPower Corp. (company that manufactures high-efficiency solar cells and panels) to provide one-step financing of residential solar energy installations.  Under the program, customers work out a home-equity type loan that allows monthly payments on the solar installation while they save money on their electricity bills.  Factoring in governmental incentives, and if there are local incentives, you could end up with a mad case of energy and financial independence.  Typical financing is for 25 years on a system ranging from $20,000-40,000 (before federal, state, + local incentives).  If you're a Californian, after the Governator's program kicks in, there should be no reason not to go solar.  Tip via GreenBiz.

Modern + Green Art: The Campbell Laird Collection

I've used the analogy before, but living the green life is similar to using web widgets--you try one out, figure out how it works, and start to enjoy the benefits of that new widget's functionality.  How about trying the green artwork widget?  Artwork can be green, too.  Depending on what you're looking for, you may want to hunt down FSC-certified wood frames or commission your favorite artist and have the piece done with eco-friendly paints.  Get creative and find a way to mak